Moonlight and Musk
by CreamPuffBunny
Summary: Desperate to regain his place in his clan, Ivan kidnaps the Elven Lord, Gilbert. Gilbert, bored with his nobleman life, wishes to find something new and exciting. Ivan has an immediate attraction to Gilbert while the Elf doesn't feel the same way about the maimed warrior. Yet. Both men will learn that looks can be deceiving. Full summary inside. Co-Written with Timlyn. AU/Fantasy.
1. Chapter 1

*****Hello everyone! I am proud to bring you a RusPrus fanfiction co-written with **_**Timlyn!**_** We put our RusPrus loving brains together in hopes of producing an enjoyable story for our readers! You can find this story also on **_**Timlyn's**_** page at **_**Archive of Our Own**_** (AO3) I will be posting our updates on _Fanfiction._**

*****Please read and review! We'd love to hear feedback! ^_^**

*****Warnings: Language, minor violence **

*****Disclaimer: We do not own Hetalia. We are making no money off of this fic.**

*****Summary: Desperate to regain his place among his clan, Ivan kidnaps the Elven Lord, Gilbert. Ivan's people believe Elves to be magical beings with the powers to give one eternal life or heal diseases, through blood or sacrifice. Ivan has no wish to see Gilbert, a beautiful creature, harmed in any way. But keeping his fellow warriors away from the Elf while trying to gain their respect is going to prove difficult. He may have to chose between being an outcast or regaining his rightful place among them. **

**Gilbert Beilschmidt is a n Elven noble, sick of his safe and boring castle life. On the same night that he wishes for something exciting to happen to change his usual daily routine, a wounded warrior named Ivan sneaks into his room and kidnaps him with an unknown intent behind his actions. Gilbert may have to adjust to this life of primitive warriors while being nothing more than a prisoner. But could this experience be just what he is looking for? Or will it be the end of his life?**

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><p><span><strong>Moonlight and Musk<strong>

**by**

**_CreamPuffBunny and Timlyn_**

**Chapter 1**

The horse stomps its foot with a snort, shaking its head as its master hopped onto the saddle.

Ivan looked down from the hilltop at an Elven castle surrounded by waterfalls and standing high on a raised platform of earth. Last night it was a mere lighted spec in the distance but now it was in his grasp, about a days ride. A flock of white birds flew overhead, circling the castle's tallest tower before flying off into the sky. This castle is hosting an Elven noble named Gilbert who was the reason for Ivan's travel. The Elves in the castle owned this part of the world where he and his own people resided. What better way to avenge your people and regain your place among them than to take the young noble Elven lord that lives there.

He clicked his horse into a walk down the hill.

Kidnapping an Elven lord is not something Ivan wanted to do but there was little choice given the situation he was put in. In the last battle with the Elves he had a terrible sickness that clouded his fighting and judgment. He was wounded in the battle, losing the sight in one violet eye that was now clouded white and gray. The scar that blinded him remained from the tip of his eyebrow to the center of his cheek. Such a battle wound is a mark of honor among his clan of warriors. However, his prized wound was spit upon rather than praised. While wounded he was taken hostage by the Elves, some low level soldiers that lacked the usual nobility and pride of regular Elves. The rogue Elves beat him with their fists and feet, knocking him unconscious for a time before making a game of sport out of him. They had tied a rope around his neck and took turns raising and lowing him from a branch all the while laughing at his humiliation. Ivan never let on that he was hurting. He would never give in to the Elves. But the rogues left his neck raw, scarred and bleeding from the rope that he now hid under a faded scarf of pink given to him by his deceased older sister.

When the other warriors found and rescued him they laughed at his misfortune, taking him back to the village only to ridicule him further. The excuse of being ill did little in his defense for a clan warrior was to always be at his best no matter what the circumstances. In this case, Ivan had failed as a warrior. The clan leader punished him for his failure by isolating him from the tribe, forcing him to live on the outskirts of the tribal village in an old hut. Now shunned by his fellow warrior brothers, Ivan had to spend all of his days mostly alone with only himself for company. He had to hunt and gather his own food, fend off predator animals alone and sleep in fear of another member coming to slit his throat. The few times he had to enter the village, no one paid any attention to him. Children threw things at his person, women whispered and laughed while the warriors sneered and spat at his feet.

Ivan hated being alone more than he hated the Elves for what they did to him. He wanted to rejoin his clan, to regain his pride and acceptance once more among them. Community is something that he treasures. There is harmony when everyone is friendly with one another, and that's what he likes. But now he was isolated from them, completely alone, without a friend in the world. Yet all of that was about to change.

Elves were considered magical beings whose blood holds special powers like the kind that heal and grant immortality. Some believe Elven blood will keep a person young forever, since the Elves themselves age very slowly. It was rumored that they bleed silver or blue whenever they are cut. Ivan didn't believe that for he had killed many Elves and not once did he see silver or blue blood spray from their death blows. While he was not as superstitious as the rest of his clan, Ivan knew he could regain his place among them if he brings with him the young Elven lord of their region. His warrior brothers would welcome and praise him. He could not live by himself any longer. Complete isolation would drive him mad, which he had been on the brink of before the thought of this came to mind.

By the time he reached the castle the sun had set and the moon rose, creating a beautiful halo around the shining structure. The Elves lived in such beautiful places. Ivan's home was always cold and covered in snow, a rugged wasteland of plains and forests. If only his people were allowed to live amongst the Elves…

Tying up his horse, he pet the large beast's nose and put a finger to his lips. From the saddle bag he pulled out a black cloak and hood, wrapping it around his shoulders to match with the darkness. He tied the scarf around his face so only his eyes were showing. Scaling the castle walls would be easy because the right side of the castle was always left unguarded. For days he had camped out upon the hill, watching the hustle and bustle of the castle inhabitants, learning their daily routines as well as soldier patterns. He even saw the balcony where the young lord stood every evening in his bed clothes, on the right side. All he had to do was sneak to the right side of the castle, climb the roses to the balcony and enter the room. Once there, he would kidnap the young lord and bring him back to the territory. What did he have to lose?

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><p>Every morning started with the sun beaming through the thin white curtains to the left of his large, plush bed. Gilbert groaned as he sat up, yawning and stretching his arms before finally getting up. He put on a night robe and made his way to some fancy glass double doors that led out onto a balcony. Stepping outside, the warmth of the morning sun washed over his milky white skin as a soft breeze blew through his short hair.<p>

He had to admit that his home was beautiful, especially in the morning when the plants and flowers were still covered in dew. The castle was made of a special type of white stone that could only be found in the region. Vines of ivy crawled up the sides, creating a winding lattice of white and green. Colorful flowers also sprouted in various areas, which, ironically, smelled very sweet for being poisonous. The trees and flowers dotting the land were in bloom year round thanks to the warm climate, and it wasn't ever hot enough to burn the plants. The lakes and rivers were crystal clear with white sand, surrounded by forests and waterfalls, and teeming with colorful fish and other unusual animals. It was beautiful, and the city almost seemed to have a glow to it.

But it was boring. The seasons never changed, rain came on a rare occasion, and he lived a quiet, sheltered life free of any danger or struggle. He was born the eldest son to an Elven nobleman, and therefore was also a lord entitled to all his father's land and wealth. As a child, Gilbert would always dream of sitting on his father's throne, which wasn't as much of a throne as it was a fancy wooden chair with expensive cushions on it. His father wasn't a king, but a young Gilbert felt like a prince in a magical world, and was so excited to grow up and be the handsome prince everyone wanted him to be. Gilbert would daydream about the days of the future where he'd be able to order people around, buy whatever he wanted as lord of the castle, and make decisions that change how the city worked. Eventually, though, as he got older, those daydreams didn't satisfy him anymore. He became bored with such a safe existence.

His title as lord came with the basics: protection of fancy armored guards, servants to wait on him hand and food, the best clothing and food money could buy, and now thanks to his father, he would also have a bride in a few short months.

Remembering the night before when his father told him of his engagement was a dreadful way to start the day. As a child he would dream of being lord of the castle, but he always forgot that taking a wife was one of the requirements. He didn't even know the woman's name, as if it mattered to him. Even though the engagement news had caused the entire city to buzz with excitement, Gilbert still felt like his life was far too boring. He would go insane if he had to lock himself inside for another day and read boring books, drink boring wine, or listen to old nobles tell boring stories of their youth. Finally the day would end with sleep, and then repeat.

As he gazed out at the horizon, he wished for something exciting to happen. He didn't care what it was, as long as it got his heart beating faster.

Once the sun started to hurt his skin, he returned inside to continue his usual morning routine. He dressed in some of his finest clothing, which he hated how many gold tassels and accents his top had on it. He wore tight, black pants with knee-high boots, and tightened a wide leather belt around his waist to shape his red shirt to his body more. At least he looked good in the ridiculous clothing. Once he was done dressing, a maid came in to bring him his morning cup of tea and tell him if he was needed for anything. He hardly ever had to do anything other than walk around and bow his head in approval at guards and servants.

It was a little different this morning. His father had called for him, which was unusual. The meeting with his father only made Gilbert realize how much he hated his sheltered life. Today he was to read a book on the history of his family, the culture of his city, and important things to know if he was to be lord of the castle soon. That wasn't all, either. When Gilbert finally thought he'd be allowed to leave, his father told him how his laziness has affected how people view him. That he'd become the type of man who took what he had for granted, and needed to start acting accordingly if he wanted the respect of the people he would one day rule over.

Gilbert left the room thinking that he didn't care if he was respected or not. He didn't care about running a city, throwing fancy dances, or listening to citizens complain to him. It wasn't a life he wanted, it was too safe and boring.

He continued from that meeting to walk around and visit several of the others in the castle. The words his father scolded him with were starting to sink in, and he began to pick up on the signs that people had actually started to disrespect him. They wouldn't bow to him, he heard them whispering as he passed by, and they'd mock him for his unusual lack of color. He heard a few guards in the dining hall say that he didn't even look like a man, that he was too skinny and didn't have any muscle, and didn't do anything to prove himself. Living in a castle protected by strong guards and knights didn't really give him a chance to get strong like the others.

Maybe reading the book his father gave him wouldn't be such a bad idea. As much as he hated his lifestyle, what he hated more was feeling like a disappointment.

In the evening he went back to his room, set the book on his bed, then dressed in his white nightwear. He stepped out onto the balcony again. The sun was setting over the trees, and he watched the orange orb sink into the black silhouette of the forest. The air felt unusually chilly, but it was just a passing thought.

Gilbert went back inside after the sun had set and the stars came out. He closed the curtains over the glass doors, and then lit a candle on his nightstand before settling into bed to start reading. It wasn't long before the boring book had put him to sleep. He slumped down against his headboard into a half-sitting position that would make his neck sore in the morning.

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><p>The roses were thick and sturdy with short, sharp thorns. Ivan barely felt them through the hide gloves as he climbed. He was covered from head to foot in his furs despite the warmer climate in this region and it helped to shield the piercing of the thorns. Glancing upward, he saw that the balcony was growing closer. A few more careful steps and he would be there.<p>

With a leap from the roses he grabbed on to the stone railing, using his strength to pull his weight up and over. He landed silently like a large cat, stopping for a moment to make sure no one was around. All was silent. He heard a wolf howl and an owl hoot. The sounds startled him for a moment. The howl of a wolf nearby would alert the night guards so he laid low for a few moments, watching carefully through the railing for any signs of movement, man or animal. When the coast was clear he got up and went to the doors.

The curtains hid the inside from his view so he couldn't be sure of where the Elf was in his bed. He tried the handles, jiggling them to find that they were locked. Ivan felt himself smirk behind his scarf. Nothing could keep him out if he wanted in. His strength was a marvel, and always has been since he was a little boy having been taller and stronger than all the other tribal boys his age.

With a hard push downward of the handle he broke the lock mechanism. The sound was soft, barely loud enough to wake a sleeping person. Quietly, gently, he pushed the balcony door open and peered inside. Darkness greeted him for the most part, but as he stepped further inside he saw the dying light of a candle on the wall. It was just enough light to let him make out the setup of the room. He remained still and silent, waiting for his eye to adjust to the dark room. When items were in view, he caught sight of the large bed.

A canopy bed with four posts wrapped in never wilting white flowers, as just was the magic of the Elves. The white sheets rose and fell with the young sleeping lord, the soft snores telling Ivan that Gilbert was in a deep sleep. Like a panther he walked to the bed where the form lay, dreaming of sweet things and thinking he was free of danger. Ivan did not plan to hurt the Elf for that was not in his nature. Gilbert the Elf was an innocent in his ploy to regain his place among the warriors. He'd worry about the fine details later.

Yet nothing prepared him for the sleeping sight he would find on that bed; a sight that mesmerized him to a wide-eyed stupor. He knew Elves to be pretty, but this Elf, Lord Gilbert, was young and very beautiful. Too beautiful to be a man. The skin was white, more like milk than snow. Gilbert's features were delicate and probably smooth to the touch. This Elf before him was certainly no warrior or soldier Elf, he was a noble through and through. Ivan glanced at the hands, unblemished, perfectly smooth without a callous in sight. Ivan felt a bit self-conscience at his own appearance for it was tarnished, scarred and maimed from countless battles and training. Looking at Gilbert's Elven beauty made him feel dirty, but most of all, he felt _unworthily_. How could he take this beautiful, sheltered creature from this bed to bring him to a wasteland of snow and woods? To lay this being on old furs in front of a small fire would be a crime.

But he had a job to do. He set out on a mission to kidnap this young Elf and regain his rightful place among the warriors. He had to put aside all other feelings of doubt for the time being and focus on the task at hand. From his belt he took the thin rope and a gag cloth to restrain the young lord.

Gently, he pulled the sheets down to reveal the equally lithe and unblemished body. The nightwear was lightly sheer and Ivan got a faded glimpse of the almost naked body beneath the fabric. His breath caught in his throat, both from the sight of the beautiful creature as well as the pink eyes that opened suddenly and looked in his direction.

Gilbert thought he was seeing things, maybe the structure of his canopy bedposts looking like a person standing over him in the dark. After blinking a few times and focusing, he saw a bright violet eye gleam from the light of the candle nearby. Sitting up quickly he gasped as his heart pounded harder. He shoved his hand under his pillow and yanked out a small dagger, then held the blade toward the other.

"Who are you?" he shouted, looking frightened. "How did you get in here?" He jerked the blade toward Ivan's face, but clearly did not know how to properly hold a dagger.

Ivan reached out and gripped Gilbert's wrist, twisting it so that the dagger fell from his hand and onto the bed.

"Don't speak or scream unless you want me to cut out your tongue." He said with his other hand on Gilbert's throat, the rope and cloth falling to the floor by his feet. It was an idle threat but a necessary one to ensure Gilbert's silence. "You are my prisoner now."

The smaller male tried to protest by pulling on his wrist but couldn't get his arm free from the man's tight grasp. When the hand held around his throat he stiffened. Fear filled his pink eyes that stared at the other, and he dared not to move a single muscle.

"I can snap your neck with one swift twist of my hand, so you'd best be quiet and do as I say. It's better to be alive than dead, yes?" He said softly to the Elf while staring in to those endless pink eyes. Such a strange color. A beautiful color.

Ivan felt like a monster in a fairytale kidnapping the beautiful princess from her bed and sweeping her away to his dark evil lair. So frail and stiff this Elf is beneath his touch. The urge to ravish the Elf in this bed made itself known, feeling his pants start to tighten and the blood rush through his veins. But he would never take advantage of another without full consent. It wasn't in his nature, despite what others thought of him at first glance. His warrior brothers were no strangers to ravishing whenever the need struck them.

"Now I'm going to tie your hands and feet together," he did not let go of Gilbert's throat. "With rope. I will gag you as well. It's not my intention to hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. Do not fight me or struggle."

Gilbert swallowed roughly, feeling the constriction around his neck. He did not break his gaze with the other. It terrified him, but he knew that trying to fight back would be a huge mistake. He'd never seen a man like this before, his clothing was proof enough that he wasn't from the area. Elves would never make such dark and dreary clothes. Slowly, the Elf relaxed as best as he could with the large hand at his throat. Even if the man said he didn't want to hurt him, he was still threatening him, and Gilbert didn't want to push his luck.

"Good." Ivan said to him a whisper.

Pushing the Elf down on the bed, he picked up the rope from the floor with the cloth. First, he gagged Gilbert, tying the cloth tightly behind his head. The white hair, Ivan noticed, was softer than it looked. He tied wrists and ankles together, not tight enough to break the skin but strong enough to hold the limbs in place. The look of fear on the Elf's face had him feeling shameful of what he was doing, but this had to be done.

"Forgive me for this, Lord Gilbert." He said in a soft voice before taking the Elf and tossing the lithe form over his shoulder with ease.

The cloth gagging him was already starting to hurt Gilbert's face and head. He kept watching Ivan as his hands and ankles were tied, but when Ivan suddenly apologized, Gilbert's fearful expression shifted slightly to one of confusion and shock. He didn't understand why a kidnapper would apologize for the act he was about to commit. As he was lifted up over the other's shoulder, Gilbert let out a soft grunt behind his gag.

Ivan hurried to the balcony, looking all around for any signs of guards or servants. Gilbert weighed nothing and climbing down the roses wouldn't take him long. However, he did have to switch Gilbert's position. Shifting the lithe body, he moved Gilbert onto his back, throwing the tied wrists around his neck. This way, Gilbert could hold on and he wouldn't have to worry about the Elf falling off or climbing down with one hand.

"Don't struggle too much. You don't want both of us to fall, and it's a long way down by air." he joked darkly.

Gilbert had wondered how the man got into his room, but when they *went out on the balcony he couldn't believe the stranger actually scaled the side of the castle. Gilbert wasn't scared of heights if he had a railing in front of him, but the idea of climbing down made his heart fall into his stomach. When the stranger started to climb down, Gilbert made the mistake of glancing to the ground below and regretted it instantly. A small whimper sounded in his throat and he shoved his face into the thick fur on the man's shoulder, closing his eyes tightly.

For Ivan, climbing up was proving to be of little effort. Climbing down was a little bit more challenging than going up. The Elf had buried his face in the back of his neck, a motion that Ivan found strangely sweet. Gilbert wasn't putting up a fight or a struggle and this kidnapping couldn't have gone any smoother. As they reached the bottom, Ivan lifted Gilbert's tied wrists from his neck to steady the Elf in front of him for a moment.

"Are you alright?" he asked him. Gilbert stared at him, not answering because of the gag, but also not making any gesture to answer the question. "You can nod?" He suggested.

The Elf narrowed his eyes, refusing to answer for a moment. He finally gave a single slow nod, but then looked up at the balcony above him. For a brief moment, he wondered what would become of him. It seemed the man saw the direction in which he was facing and spoke in a hushed voice.

"You can't go back there." Ivan told him. "I'm taking you to my people, to my village. I have need of you there."

Gilbert snapped his eyes back to Ivan. He didn't like the sound of being needed for something by this man.

Ivan picked Gilbert up again and began walking to the woods where his horse was waiting. He thought it best to tell Gilbert his name now. There was no reason why Gilbert couldn't know his name.

"My name is Ivan." He knew Gilbert would be pleased to finally have a name to call his kidnapper.

Gilbert was scared but he tried not to let it show as he was carried off. The day started to play in his mind, and he thought back to when he wished something exciting would happen. He didn't mean something like this. All he knew is that Ivan was taking him to a village because of something that he needed. That could be any number of things and Gilbert found his mind starting to wander with the unknown possibilities of his future. The horse gave a snort as its master approached. 'Hush.' Ivan said to the horse and lifted him up onto the saddle before leaping on behind him. Ivan's large body was warm, but the smell of him was almost too much to bear. Furs, leather, and hide along with an unwashed body gave off a smell that could make his toes curl.

The Elf was trembling in his arms and Ivan knew he had to be cold, or frightened, or both. Balancing himself on the saddle, he removed his cloak to wrap it around Gilbert's shoulders. "Are you warmer now, Lord Gilbert?" He asked in a whisper.

It was both fear and cold that made Gilbert tremble. He had to admit, though, that the warmth of the cloak made things better, but he'd rather be cold than frightened. Ivan's voice made him shiver and feel uncomfortable, so he scooted forward to put an inch of distance between them. His kidnapper would have none of it. Instead, Gilbert was pulled tightly against the strong chest, smell and all.

"It's a day's ride to my village. We will stop along the way so you can rest. I can tell by your features and skin that you haven't ridden a horse before, or rather, haven't ridden for any great length of time." Ivan turned the horse into a slight run.

Ignoring everything Ivan said to him, Gilbert turned away and stared at whatever passed by his side. He hated that his abductor was making small talk with him so casually. Hopefully, his forced silence and averted gaze would let Ivan know that he had no interest in his words. What could he possibly have to stay to his kidnapper that wouldn't come out as fiery venom?

Ivan knew the Elf couldn't speak and figured that even if Gilbert could talk, he wouldn't. So Ivan took the hint and kicked his horse into a faster gallop through the woods. He wanted to get them as far away from the castle as possible. With any luck, no one would know Gilbert was missing until the morning when someone came to wake him and they would be far gone.

The wind against his face brought the faint aroma of Gilbert's hair, a sweet smell of roses, or something else floral. He couldn't help himself from sniffing the Elf's head, finding the alluring, almost natural scent of him to be intoxicating.

Gilbert could hear the faint sounds of Ivan sniffing his hair and he jerked forward to move even farther away. It frightened him more, the man reminded him of an animal, like a wolf, and during the trip there were many horrible images in his mind of what was going to happen once they got to wherever they were going. There seemed to be no end to his imagination of horrors. Gilbert was smart enough not to try to fight back, but he hated feeling so helpless. He only hoped that by morning his disappearance would be known and someone would find the tracks and follow them.

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><p>By early morning, Ivan brought the horse to a stop inside a shaded glen now that they were far enough away from the castle to rest for a bit. He got off the horse first, then lifted Gilbert from the saddle to hold him in his arms.<p>

"We can take a rest now." He had put the hood of his tunic up over his head and still kept his face covered by the scarf. He didn't want to scare Gilbert with his looks so he kept his eyes downcast and tried not to gaze directly at the Elf as he placed him on the horse blanket while propped up against a tree.

Gilbert watched as Ivan made an effort to cover himself up. He tried not to care much about why but he thought it curious. After a moment of leaning against the tree, the Elf tried to relax but couldn't since he was starting to get even colder, and couldn't help but wonder about Ivan's intentions. What would the man do to him now? He was tied up and helpless on the ground with no way to call for seek help. All he could do was keep his gaze on Ivan, following the man with his eyes to see if he is planning anything.

Ivan could see that Gilbert was cold so he took another spare horse blanket and brought it over to lay across the other's lap. Gilbert was small in comparison to him and wearing nothing more than sheer, thin nightshirt. The nearer they traveled to his village the colder the air would get. He was looking forward to having the Elf cuddling against him for warmth. He smiled at the thought and asked,

"Are you hungry? I brought some salted venison jerky. Would you like some? I have water too."

The gesture from Ivan stunned Gilbert a little. He'd never heard of a kidnapper being so kind to their victim. Still, he tried to snuggle under the blanket as best he could with his limbs bound. He could feel his stomach begin to hurt from lack of food, so Ivan's offer was a hard one to refuse. Reluctantly, Gilbert nodded.

Ivan took out a flat stick of the venison jerky to bring to Gilbert.

"If I take off your gag, you will not scream, right? I don't want you to go hungry if you don't have to." Ivan gently warned him.

Gilbert simply nodded again, silently promising not to scream. What good would it do him? It will only end badly.

Ivan placed the jerky in Gilbert's bound hands before untying the gag, all the while keeping the hood shadowed over his eyes.

"I'll bring you water too."

Once the gag was off, Gilbert moved his jaw around a bit. He didn't reply to Ivan, and brought the piece of meat up to his mouth to look at it. He gave it a cautious glance, then shifted his eyes to Ivan. The way the man was keeping his face covered was starting to annoy him. Eventually, he would have to see his kidnapper's full face.

"I promise it tastes good." Ivan assured him. "I made it myself. I'm a fine hunter. It isn't poisoned or anything." He kept his back turned. "I wouldn't kidnap you just to poison you randomly in a glen. And I'm afraid it's all I have to feed you right now. When we get back to my village, I can go hunting and bring you better food. Fresh food. It's not a castle feast, but it's all I can do."

Gilbert nibbled on a corner of the meat as Ivan spoke, then swallowed a piece. He tilted his head to try to see around the other.

"Why did you kidnap me?" his voice was quiet and faltered a little, showing some of the fear he still felt.

"Like I said, I need you to help me with something back home. If all goes well, I shall return you to the Elves."

Gilbert liked the sound of being returned home. However, not knowing what Ivan needed him for made it so he couldn't relax or feel safe at all. He continued to eat the piece of meat until it was gone, and remained quiet since he was a little frightened to speak again. Ivan clearly was not going to reveal to him what his intentions were once they arrived at the village. He looked up as Ivan brought over a large water flask.

"Here, drink up." He uncorked the flask. The Elf tried to hold onto the flask, but with how his hands were bound he couldn't get a good enough grip on it. He looked annoyed. Ivan found it humorous.

"I don't want any," he lied. He knew that Ivan wouldn't untie him, but the idea of the man helping him drink made him uneasy. Besides, he was an Elven Lord. He wouldn't drink from the hands of a lowly forest peasant! Tied up or not, he still had his pride.

"I'll untie your hands to drink. Don't try anything though. You won't get far without the use of your feet. Unless you'd like to try to hop?" He suggested with amusement.

"I'm not stupid enough to try to run." He let the small retort slip out, then looked a bit nervous for his comment. Ivan didn't seem to care.

"You're smart then." Ivan carefully untied his hands and even rubbed the wrists a bit. "Now you can drink. The water is fresh, I promise you."

Once his hands were free, Gilbert quickly retracted them to himself, as Ivan's touch made him uncomfortable. He picked up the flask, cautiously gave it a sniff, then began to drink.

Ivan didn't blame him for pulling away. He said nothing more to the Elf but sat with his back towards him.

The horse started to panic suddenly. Ivan stood up quickly, pulling out a small hatchet from his belt.

"Stay still and quiet, Lord Gilbert."

Gilbert obeyed, keeping his body frozen still and held his breath, but his pink eyes darted around fearfully. Was something coming?

Ivan could hear something heavy moving though the woods nearby. He sniffed the air.

"It's a bear." He said to Gilbert. "He's coming this way."

As if being kidnapped wasn't enough, Gilbert now thought that a bear would be ripping him apart. He only hoped that Ivan knew how to handle the situation. All Gilbert could do was sit and try not to make any sudden movements.

Ivan found it strange that a bear would be so close to this open area. He had to figure something may be wrong with it, or it could indeed just be a wandering bear. It must have picked up the scent of his horse and now that it heard the horse's stressed cries it would come this way.

There came a low roar, almost like a guttural bellow, as small sticks and grass crunched under the animal's weight. Ivan saw the large, hairy form appear and he had been right in assuming it was a bear. The massive creature roared when it saw Ivan and the horse, making his horse rear and cry once again. Ivan saw that it had two arrows sticking out from its back leg. 'It's already been hunted...and the hunter is probably trailing after it.' He said to himself, his fingers curling along the hatchet. 'I have to kill it, and then we have to leave.' He prepared to fight, forming a stance while the bear paced back and forth. 'It thinks I'm its hunter.'

"Lord Gilbert!" Ivan called back to him. "Make no movements! Once I've wounded it, we have to leave quickly!"

Gilbert looked terrified once he saw the bear. His first instinct was to crawl backward and try to get away, but he knew that was a bad idea, and Ivan had told him to stay put. He watched Ivan reaching for his hatchet, and worried about what was going to happen. Ivan couldn't possibly take on a large bear like that, Gilbert wondered to himself as he kept his eyes on both of them. He could try to untie the knot at his ankles but everyone knew it was dangerous and stupid to run from a wild animal. Still, he tried, all the while keeping his eyes focused on the brawl beginning before him. He had to curse under his breath for the knot was way too tight for him to undo.

The bear moved towards Ivan, swinging it's large paw and roaring, its bottom teeth dripping with fatigue. Ivan swung the hatchet, wishing that he had his real ax with him for this. He took another swing at the bear with the hatchet, watching as the beast moved back yet it didn't stop coming towards him. Then, it took off in a charge. Ivan knew that for a large animal a bear can move with great speed. He had to keep it away from his horse and Gilbert. He moved towards the bear, swung the hatchet, and it met with the animal's thick neck. It roared and turned away, a small stream of blood dripping from its neck. Ivan knew the wound wasn't too deep but the bear wouldn't last must longer with the gash. 'Poor beast.' He thought to himself as he kept swinging the hatchet to force the bear away. The animal roared again but turned away, wobbling off.

Gilbert squeezed his eyes shut just before the hatchet hit the bear. He didn't have the stomach for this sort of thing. When Ivan came toward him, he didn't care about the fact that this man had taken him from his home, and tried to used his hands to stand up. Ivan hurried towards him.

"We have to leave this place!" Ivan scooped him up effortless. Rushing back to the horse, he had to quickly calm it before they could settle on the saddle. He put Gilbert up first once he had control of the horse, untied the reigns, and then hopped on behind. 'YA!' he clicked the horse into a fast run.

"Hold on to the mane!" Ivan told him.

Gripping his thin finger into the horse's mane, Gilbert held on tightly. With his feet still tied, it was fairly difficult for him to remain on the horse, especially with how fast the animal was running. It was Ivan's arms that kept him from falling completely off the horse.

They had to get far enough away from the bear and its hunter before they could slow to a walk. But it was starting to get dark, the sun had lowered in the sky and soon they would have to stop again to rest for the night before continuing on. They rode on for a bit more until Ivan knew they were safely away and slowed the horse to a walk.

"I'm sorry for all that. I couldn't risk the hunter who is trailing that bear to find us. We'll have to stop soon when it gets dark, and these woods are known for their night animals and predators."

Gilbert breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "I can't believe you just went up to that bear and hit it with an ax," he said, looking back at Ivan. "And you say there are NIGHT predators?"

Ivan nodded. "I'm not afraid to face animals like that. I've taken down a bear or two during hunts. My people do it often. We tend to be fearless when it comes to predators." They came to a small clearing. "This will do well for the night. See that branch? We're going to be sleeping on it. So long as we are off the ground no predators will attack us. The horse will alert us if there is any trouble."

Gilbert's expression became a bit uneasy. He really didn't like the idea of sleeping on a small branch, and next to his kidnapper of all people. How could someone sleep on a branch?

Ivan got down, tied the horse to the tree, and lifted Gilbert from the saddle. Saying nothing, he started to tie Gilbert's hands again.

Gilbert didn't struggle, but once Ivan was done tying him, he yanked his wrists away and narrowed his eyes on Ivan's face.

"I can't risk you running away." Ivan said. "Besides, I have to lift you up onto that branch somehow." Ivan spoke no further and moved Gilbert over to the base of the large tree. He climbed up quickly, sat on the branch, and reached his hand down to Gilbert.

Having no other choice, Gilbert lifted his arms so Ivan could lift him up. Ivan yanked him up without issue and settled the Elf between his legs so the slim back was against his chest.

"See? This branch is big enough for us both."

Gilbert let out a quiet, uneasy whimper. He tried to sit up, wanting to get away from the other.

"I-I don't like being this close to you," he stuttered. "I don't."

"I understand, but I promise I won't do anything to harm you, Lord Gilbert. I know it's silly to say you shouldn't be afraid of me because I know you are. I did kidnap you from your home. But I swear I won't hurt you."

Gilbert thought on it for a while, trying hard to find some truth in Ivan's words. He knew deep down that he had to stay with him, because he had no idea where he was and he was bound with rope. Forcing himself to rest against the other, he tried to relax.

Ivan kept his arms wrapped tightly around the smaller waist and found that he once again was intoxicated with Gilbert's smell. He lowered the scarf from his face so that his nose could rest in the white hair.

Gilbert couldn't get fully comfortable, even after shifting his body a few times. He didn't like how close Ivan was, but he supposed that if he was going to hurt him, he would have done so by now. After the exhausting day, Gilbert could feel his eyes getting heavy, wanting to close and go to sleep.

"Sleep well, Lord Gilbert." Ivan whispered, continuing to hold him throughout the night.

After a while, they fell asleep and slept soundly throughout the night and didn't wake up even after the sun had risen.

**End Chapter 1 TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

*****Thank you for the support so far, you guys! Timlyn and I are working very heard on this and doing our best to get updates up and out within a reasonable time! If you prefer ArchiveOfOurOwn, you can read it there on Timlyn's page. ^_^ So this chapter is a little longer than the first one, so make sure you have a comfortable seat! Read and review, please! Enjoy your reading!**

*****Warning: Mild violence, blood**

*****Disclaimer: We do not own Hetalia. We are making no money off of this fic.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Ivan woke up when he felt the first rays of sunlight on his face. Slowly, he blinked his eyes open to see the light shining through the treetops. The horse was still tied to the tree, nibbling on some grass below them. But the best part was the Elf asleep in his arms. So they had survived the night.

He smiled softly behind his scarf. It was nice to have another body beside him. He had never been interested in women, and sharing a bed with men was often frowned upon in the clan. Two warriors laying together was taboo for most, but depending on the warriors, rules could be bent. Some of the men in his clan were not warriors but simple hunters. A warrior was expected to lay with a slim, swift hunter man than another powerful warrior.

But that never bothered Ivan. He kept his preferences silent, although he was certain the other warriors knew which gender he preferred. No one ever said anything, so he simply kept it that way. The less someone knows, the better.

And then there was Lord Gilbert, the lithe little Elf in his arms. Just touching the well-bred man made him feel as if he was dirtying the purity that was Gilbert. Life for the Elf at his clan wouldn't be anything like he was used to. Ivan's clan lived in primitive fashion. Gilbert would put his nose up to him and his people once he caught sight of their village.

'He would never take an interest in me.' Ivan said to himself. 'I'm not just his kidnapper but I'm nothing like the Elven men and women who must flock to him. All clean and flawless, just like him.' He smiled softly and tightened his hold a little.

/

When Gilbert first woke up, he felt a wave of relief when he realized that he was safe and alive, however, that also meant that last night wasn't just a dream. He really had been kidnapped and that fact still scared him.

There was something else on his mind, though. He found that he didn't actually _miss_ his home, but rather the safety of it. Riding a horse through the woods, eating meat with his bare hands, sleeping under the stars – they were things he had dreamed of doing before, but his noble lifestyle wouldn't allow such "barbaric" behavior. He didn't mind it, except for the fact that he'd been forcefully taken from his home, and Ivan's scent was a little too strong to get used to.

Gilbert appreciated seeing the sun rise and hearing the birds chirping, but he felt the arms around him tighten just slightly, and it frightened him. He hadn't realized that Ivan was awake and began to shift a little, hoping his movement would prompt the other to get up and get them out of the tree.

"I see you're up." Ivan said softly. "Did you sleep well? Or, at least as well as you could?"

"I guess," Gilbert answered quietly. "You're not as comfortable as my bed, but it'll have to do."

"You can rest better once you're in my hut. I have furs there for you to lay on." Ivan settled Gilbert on the branch and jumped down. Making sure his face was still covered, he held out his arms to Gilbert. "Jump down. I'll catch you."

Gilbert glanced below him. It was a long way to the ground, but for some strange reason, he trusted that Ivan would catch him. He leaned off the branch to fall.

Ivan caught him easily.

"See? No harm done." He brought Gilbert over to the horse and placed him on the saddle. "We'll be at my home by mid afternoon." He said as he was untying the reigns.

"Will you finally tell me what you want from me when we get there?" Gilbert asked a bit sternly, keeping his eyes locked on Ivan's face. He was becoming increasingly more annoyed that he didn't know what the man's motives were or what his face looked like.

Ivan jumped up onto the saddle, making sure Gilbert was secure before moving on.

"I can tell you why. You won't like it, I'm certain of that. But the reason I kidnapped you is...I need to be welcomed back into my clan of warriors. I have been punished, practically banished from the village and now I'm an outcast. I need to show them I am still capable of being a warrior. As you know, many races hate the Elves, and my people are one of them. If they see that I caught an Elf, I will be respected again, thus returning to the order of warriors. So you see, I only need to borrow you for a bit."

That was all he would tell Gilbert. He didn't want to say what caused his punishment, how the Elves maimed him, or what the warriors would want to do to Gilbert to when they saw him. Ivan's plan was not just to hand Gilbert over, but to keep him as his 'own', for now, and fight to protect him. Once his clan is reminded how strong he is, they will accept him, and then he can sneak Gilbert back home.

Gilbert listened to Ivan's story, but by the end he raised an eyebrow, looking mildly appalled. "So you kidnapped me to... show me off like a prize?"

"I'm not proud of it, but yes, that is what I intend to do." He couldn't tell Gilbert of his plan, or what his people thought about the Elves. Once the warriors saw that it's all just superstition, they would still welcome him back but they would let Gilbert go. But he couldn't let Gilbert know. "I will keep you safe."

"So what will your people think of you once I leave? Won't they look down on you for letting me escape or whatever?"

"You don't have to worry about that." Ivan answered. "I know what I'm doing."

Gilbert sighed. "Fine."

They continued on in silence for the rest of the ride.

When they finally arrived at the village they were looking down upon it from a hill. It appeared after they came out of the woods. Gilbert had never been so far away from his region and this area was dark and rugged. The village was large but the homes were small stone huts covered with straw or wood for a roof. Gilbert could already tell that they were primitive beings.

"This is my home." Ivan said.

Gilbert had never seen a village like it before. He was already dreading living here for a while. Looking at Ivan, he waited to see what was going to happen next.

"I know it's not much, but where I live, you will safe and warm."

"I hope you're right," he mumbled. "Will you ever untie me?"

"When you are in my hut I can untie you, but you won't be completely free of the rope. I still can't trust you to run."

"Great," Gilbert sighed. "Will I at least be able to walk?"

"Around the hut, yes. When we step out of the hut, you will have to remain with me." He clicked the horse to begin walking down the hill. "But my hut is far away from the village. We're not going in to the village yet. I want to get you comfortable in my home. It's very cold here, so I need to dress you warmly."

"Good, I'm already freezing," he said as he watched the village get closer.

Ivan had to ride alongside the village, remaining behind the wall of trees as he made for his hut. Gilbert would hate it once he saw it.

"That's my hut. Right there."

Gilbert looked at it. It was small, made from various sized stones and had a patched roof of old wood and straw, like all the others. Drying pelts surrounded it as well as small piles of animal bones. The door was nothing more than a flap of cloth with holes in it. He was dreading what the inside looked like!

"Do you like it?" Ivan couldn't help but ask, already knowing what the answer would be.

"It's... all right," Gilbert tried not to sound too disappointed, but he couldn't fully hide it. "It's not exactly an Elven castle."

"I know, but this is all I have right now."

Ivan got down and tied the horse to its post, making a mental note to return it to the warrior's stables. He lifted Gilbert from the horse to carry him inside. It was good to be back, although this hut was not his true home. His home was much bigger, and currently, it was being used as a nursery for the chief's many children. Ivan really hoped nothing terrible was happening there, in his hut, being occupied by numerous tiny children.

Now inside, Ivan brought Gilbert over and carefully sat him down on the pile of furs that was his bed.

Gilbert looked around at the hut with the corner of his lip going up in a slight sneer. The dog houses for the Elven dogs are bigger than this hut! It was very cold and dark. There was only a small opening in the top to let out smoke. A circle of stones made for a fire. No hearth or oven. The ground was only dirt; dry, brown, rocky dirt with some tufts of grass poking out. And worst of all, it was onion grass! Ivan had a lot of weapons, though, leaning up against the far wall. Two large axes, a spear, a bow and arrow, a sickle, and a club with an antler spike.

After staring at the many weapons, Gilbert wrinkled his nose. The scent inside the hut smelled of the grass and dirt and was almost strong enough to make him hold his breath. Even breathing in through his mouth would allow him to taste the air, which he didn't know if that was worse than smelling it.

"It's so small," Gilbert mocked the little hut. "There's barely enough room for a person to sleep in here."

"This is what my punishment is." Ivan told him. "My chief has my real home under his rule now. This is where I must stay until I am welcomed back into my clan. Those furs you are sitting on is our bed. It gets very, very cold here at night but those furs will keep us warm. Let me get a fire started so it can get warmer for you."

"All right." Gilbert shifted his weight on the furs. "Wait... did you say this is our bed? As in, we'll be sharing this small space while I'm here?"

"Yes. Unless you want to sleep on the bare ground, which I know you don't. I promise I won't try anything. I won't take advantage of you that way. It is the way of my clan, however. So you'd best always stay very close to me. My fellow warriors will have their way with you if they wish it."

Gilbert looked a little guilty. He was at least thankful that Ivan wasn't going to hurt him, but it was still a little frightening to be surrounded by all of this.

"And you promise to keep them away from me?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, I promise. You are really my prisoner, and that makes you my property. My war prize. If they want you, they will have to fight me. And I've never lost a fight." He placed a hand over his blind eye. "Actually, that's not all true. During the last battle with the Elves I was very sick, barely fit for battle. I could barely see or hear, or even feel. My sickness that day was a disgrace to my clan."

"Is that why you chose me to kidnap? So your clan would think it's a sort of 'revenge' toward Elves, and to prove yourself?"

"That's part of it." Ivan responded.

"Only part of it...?" Gilbert inquired.

"You don't have to know more than that. Lord Gilbert, you are still my prisoner." He bent down and untied the wrists but kept the rope around Gilbert's ankles. "Let me get you something else to wear."

Ivan went into a basket that had a pile of clothes in it. He pulled out a long sleeved tunic, flapped it to get the dust and dirt off, then brought it over to Gilbert. "You can change. I won't look."

"Can I at least wear some pants? It's too cold here to wear just a tunic." He paused. "I promise I won't run if you untie me, and you can tie me back up when I'm done."

Ivan nodded. "Very well." He found some pants first and then untied Gilbert's ankles. He couldn't help but admire the delicate feet, which looked as if they were never walked on bare. Ivan's feet could walk on hot coals.

"I'm sorry if these clothes don't smell very good, and they'll be very big on you but you'll be warmer."

Once Gilbert's ankles were free he took a moment to rub at the skin, which had turned a light red from the rope. He didn't betray Ivan's trust and, when Ivan turned around, quickly pulled the pants on. He did the same with the tunic, and then sat there waiting for Ivan to tie him back up.

Ivan tossed the rope to the side. "I'll only tie you up when we're sleeping. Does that make you feel better?" He asked while looking at the raw pink skin of Gilbert's ankles. "It hurts you?" He pointed to the pink.

Gilbert was glad about Ivan letting him walk. He looked up at Ivan when he spoke, seeing him pointing to his ankles. He nodded. "A little, yeah..."

"I can rub them for you, Lord Gilbert, if you want?" He took off his gloves, noticing how dry, rough and dirty they were. Gilbert would probably say 'no'.

The offer caught Gilbert off guard, but it was an offer that sounded nice. "All right... but don't be too rough. It hurts as it is."

Ivan sat in front of him, making sure his scarf was still safely around his face, and lifted the slim foot in his palm. As tenderly as he could, he began to rub the pink part in soothing circles.

At first, the touch made Gilbert uncomfortable. It hurt a little more as Ivan began as well, but after a few seconds it started to feel better. As he watched Ivan, he began to get an idea. He was certain that Ivan would stop him, but he slowly leaned forward and gently gripped the scarf hiding Ivan's face.

A large hand came up to stop him, gripping his wrist gently.

"Don't remove it, please."

"I want to see your face," Gilbert said, but did not pull away.

"I have a bad eye...you Elves are not used to seeing regular men and their wounds."

"I've seen wounded men before," he stated. "You can't really be thinking about never showing me your face?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I wanted to spare you, that's all. But, if you really want to see my face then I will show you." He would keep the scarf around his neck to hide the scars and always keep himself clothed so Gilbert couldn't see the battle scars littering his body.

"I do. Let me see," he spoke a bit softer. There was something about Ivan that gave off a more gentle vibe. At first, Gilbert did not trust Ivan for obvious reasons, but he had his protection now. Something inside of him also just really wanted to trust him.

Gilbert unraveled the scarf, letting Ivan catch it around his neck. Ivan's eye was frosted over with blindness, a large scar running vertically from his forehead to his cheek. His hair was a silvery color, more of a faded blonde, and his nose was a little large. His cheeks were round as well as his chin, which gave him a soft, almost childlike look about him.

Ivan shied away a bit. "I can keep wearing the scarf over my face if it makes you feel better." he offered.

Gilbert was expecting Ivan to look more... menacing. Instead, he looked sweeter than he pictured, despite the nasty scar over his eye.

"You're fine," Gilbert said with a little smile. "A scar isn't going to bother me." He thought it was sad how Ivan thought his appearance would bother him. It's true that he looked different from the thin and unscathed Elves he knew, but that wasn't a bad thing.

"Oh, good." Ivan smiled. "I'm glad you're not frightened by it. I know how beautiful the Elves are. It's as if time and danger does not touch them. I know that all Elves look down on other races."

Gilbert narrowed his eyes angrily and pulled all his limbs away from Ivan. "You don't even know me and you make an assumption like that?"

"I've gone to war against Elves, Lord Gilbert. I know how they are, how they look upon those lower than them, and how they live. I was only trying to be kind to you, Lord Gilbert."

"So you just judge everyone immediately then? Should I assume that you're a filthy, mindless barbarian?"

Ivan looked at him curiously, wondering why he was getting so angry. "Don't all of you Elves think of us like that? That's what I've always been told. Your race tries to get rid of us because we are not like them." Ivan suddenly realized why Gilbert was speaking this way. "You read a lot of books, right? You are a noble and you learn a lot of things from books. You're very smart." he smiled. "We don't have books here. We don't read. We only talk and draw pictures. My people are not like yours. Please don't get angry?"

"Not all Elves think that way. Most do, I guess." Gilbert slumped his shoulders down a little. "I just hate when people assume things about me because I'm nobility."

"But you're nobility." Ivan said, reaching out to take Gilbert's foot again and rub it. "You get to live in a big castle and have pretty things all the time. You don't have to hunt and kill your own food. You don't have to sleep on furs. You can wear pretty clothes and shiny jewelry."

"Yeah it's great," Gilbert spoke halfheartedly and looked away from the other.

Ivan looked at him curiously. "You don't like being a noble?" What was there not to like about being a noble? Ivan thought to himself. The Elves lived a lavish, beautiful lifestyle. Ivan loved his clan and his people but he knew they were primitive and way behind the times yet it didn't alter his thinking at all. Gilbert looked almost sad.

"It's fine, I guess. But it's too boring for me."

Ivan gave him a crooked smile. "You only say that because you don't have to do any hard work." He took Gilbert's hands and pressed them against his own. "My hands are bigger than yours. They are rough with hard work and battle. These hands of mine have hunted animals and wielded weapons you can't even lift. These hands have killed many men and Elves. I've had to use these hands to survive every single day since I left my mother's breast. Sometimes my hands long for that...that pretty oil water you Elves dip your fingers in. To make them smell pretty, yes?" He looked at Gilbert's hands carefully. "Soft hands. Pale and pretty. They know only marble and gold. They have only held books and pretty music makers. They are the hands of someone who does not have to suffer harshly each day." He smiled sweetly at Gilbert's confused face. "These hands should be treasured."

He gazed into pink eyes. Right now, he wanted to take Gilbert's hand and feel that softness on his face. He wondered how it would feel, if they were laying beside each other, with Gilbert's soft hands stroking his scars? But once again, he was being silly.

Gilbert stared back at Ivan, amazed by his words. Ivan spoke of a life that he had always wondered about, sometimes even dreamed of having. It didn't even bother him that Ivan was holding his hands and calling him pretty, however, his words did make him blush a little. He wasn't sure why, as he was used to being called pretty almost daily, but it felt different, like Ivan actually meant it.

"I know I shouldn't complain, but... that's the only life I've ever known. It gets old sometimes..." Gilbert didn't break eye contact.

"I can understand that." He put Gilbert's hands down. "Are you hungry, Lord Gilbert?"

Gilbert nodded. "A little."

"I haven't gone hunting yet but I still have lots of dried meat. Would you like rabbit, deer, bison, fox or mountain lion?"

Gilbert's eyes widened. "A mountain lion? That sounds dangerous."

Ivan chuckled. "I killed these animals already. And mountain lions are just big kitty cats. They are easy to kill."

Gilbert seemed shocked. "I can't believe you've killed mountain lions before... Well, what meat do you prefer?" he asked.

"Try the mountain lion." Ivan handed him a piece of the dried meat. "I'm a hunter and a warrior, Lord Gilbert. I've killed many large beasts. Bears, mountain lions, crocodiles, buffalo, bison, elk, moose, panther, wolves...almost everything. Except birds. I haven't killed any birds." He picked up the weapon that was a club with an antler spike. "See this weapon? It's special to me. My grandfather made it. I've killed many of the large predators with this. I would let you hold it, but it may be too heavy for you." He teased.

Gilbert listened to Ivan's story with interest as he chewed on the meat. He'd never heard hunting stories before, and the weapons Ivan used were much different than the ones his Elven guards used. He actually did want to hold the weapon, but, as much as he was offended by Ivan basically calling him weak, he couldn't deny that he probably couldn't hold it.

"So... you must have all sorts of stories to tell about your hunting trips," he suggested eagerly. His eyes were almost sparkling.

"Ah, I do! Would you like to hear them?" Ivan asked, taking a piece of meat for himself. "We can eat as I tell you."

Gilbert smiled. "I would! I never get to listen to the guards back home tell their stories."

Ivan, pleased with Gilbert's need to hear his stories, sat down on the ground in front of him and began telling of his hunting adventures. He told about the first mountain lion he had hunted. He spoke of the first bear he killed as a young boy of twelve and was granted the title of 'warrior'. Even his weapons had a story to them, and Ivan spoke proudly of each one, even if they were a little brutal. By the time he had finished, it was already night.

"I've told too many stories. I'm sorry." He said with a laugh. "I don't get to talk to people as often anymore."

Gilbert was enthralled with Ivan's stories, and listened intently to each and every one. He never stopped watching Ivan's face either. It was strange, Gilbert admitted, for an Elf, especially a noble, to be so interested in the hunting stories of a warrior, but he found it all very fascinating. Including Ivan himself.

He gave a tired smile. "Don't apologize. I asked you to tell them," he said and covered a yawn with his hand.

"Ah, you are sleepy. Go to sleep then. I will be up a bit-" He was interrupted by a booming voice from outside the tent.

"Ivan! You in there?"

Ivan glared at the flap, then whispered low to Gilbert. "Say nothing. Don't move. Don't make a sound. Coming!" He called back.

The voice had startled Gilbert but he stayed still. He couldn't help his eyes from wandering to the entrance, listening carefully.

Ivan stepped outside the hut to see who the late night visitor was. Before him stood two warriors. He recognized the faces but couldn't remember their names. He stood tall and proud but kept his face solemn, void of any emotion. The warriors were smirking at him, standing with their arms crossed and wearing the sashes of Clan Pride; embroidered with the clan symbol of an ax and fist. Ivan had one as well, but it was taken from him when he was demoted to the outskirts of the village. They wore their sashes proudly to taunt him, yet Ivan would not let it bother him.

"So where were you for so many days, Ivan?" Asked the first one, a bulky warrior with dark hair and a long beard.

"I was exploring the forests. Nothing more." Ivan answered calmly.

"But you took a horse." Said the second, this one a little younger than the other. "You're not supposed to keep the horses away for so long, or have you forgotten?"

Ivan shook his head. "I haven't forgotten. I was just tired from the journey. I figured you'd boys come and get it anyway, so take it and leave me be."

"Hey," started the first one. "We're not done with you yet. The chief wants to see you!"

"What for?" Ivan asked.

"For your punishment, of course!" Said the second one. "You took the horse for far too long!"

Ivan shrugged his shoulders. "Very well. I will be there tomorrow morning to accept my punishment."

"We'll see you there!" They both laughed as they took the horse away, heading back into the village.

Ivan came back inside with a sigh. "I'm sorry you had to hear that, Lord Gilbert."

Gilbert had a worried look on his face. "Why are you being punished for taking a horse?" he asked, not understanding at all.

"I had the horse for too long. I am an outcast right now. I'm not allowed the specific privileges I was used to. If I don't follow the law of an outcast, I get punished." He threw more wood into the fire. "It's nothing to worry about, though." He smiled at Gilbert. "It's just a whipping. I'll be back here before our breakfast is cold." He joked.

Gilbert narrowed his eyes sadly. He didn't know Ivan well enough to really care for him, but to be beaten just for taking a horse was something that disgusted him.

"All right. If you say so..." He didn't fully believe him.

Ivan chuckled. "I can handle things. I'll be lying awake a little longer thinking about the best way to present you to my clan. I'll take the beating, but I do have to show you to my chief and fellow warriors tomorrow."

Gilbert lay down on the furs. He closed his eyes. "I'm scared to see them, after what you told me about them..." he mumbled.

"No matter what, remain silent and let me do all the talking tomorrow. Unless..." Ivan cleared his throat. "Unless you...want me to tell you what my people think Elven special powers are? It may help you to understand us more, and why I needed to kidnap you."

His question made Gilbert perk up. "Special powers?" He didn't like the sound of it, especially since he didn't think Elves had any powers. "Is that what this is about?"

"Yes. Special powers. You see, it has been told in my clan for generations that Elves have magical powers. We think they bleed blue or silver. We think their blood can grant us eternal life or heal any ailment. We think that, the stronger a warrior is, he will be even stronger after drinking the magic blood of an Elf. Is any of that true, Lord Gilbert? I doubt that it is."

Gilbert slowly shook his head. "Elves are magical beings, sure, but I've never even heard any rumors about our blood like that." His expression suddenly dropped with a terrible thought. "Your clan isn't going to want to drink my blood, are they?"

"I'm going to protect you from that. As my prisoner and property, they cannot take you from me without a fight. However, if you grant me permission, Lord Gilbert, I will want to show my people that our superstitions about Elves are very wrong."

Gilbert turned his head slightly. "How do you mean?" he asked nervously.

"I mean...I would have to, well," he felt himself growing nervous by the next words he had to speak. "I would show them how you do not bleed any other color but red like the rest of us. I will…drink your blood to show that it does not make me strong or eternal." Ivan hadn't thought about the eternal or powerful part of Gilbert's blood. There was no chance that he could prove immediately that Gilbert's blood did not give immortality or make him stronger.

Gilbert knew he wouldn't like the answer. "I really don't like the sound of that... but I guess they wouldn't believe me if I said I don't have those powers." He sat up, wrapping a fur around himself since he felt cold. "You're sure they'll let you talk and... drink my blood first? They think I have something valuable, so wouldn't your chief or leader want it first?"

Ivan nodded. "It's possible. However," he went over to his weapons and picked up the large bladed axe, twirling it in his hand. "They have to fight ME for the honor of doing it." He said seriously, his features turning dark as he walked back over to Gilbert, ax in hand. "And I won't lose."

Gilbert swallowed roughly, looking with some fear up at the other. It was hard not to be frightened of him, even just a little bit. "I hope you're right..." He held the fur tighter around him. "All right... I'll let you do it..." 'What other choice do I have?'

"I'm not ill this time. I will defeat any who challenge me." He twirled the axe again. "And you are certain that Elves do not have such powers?"

"Well I'm not entirely sure because no one's ever just drank Elven blood randomly before, but I think that'd be something I'd learn growing up in nobility, if it were true. I've never even heard of the rumor," he admitted. "It's most likely just superstition from people who don't like us."

Ivan hardened his gaze. "Lord Gilbert?" He got down on one knee before him and lowered his head. "I ask for your permission to test these superstitions now. If we can prove them superstition, then I can better defend you tomorrow."

Gilbert looked uneasy. "How did you plan to... you know...?" he asked timidly. In his mind he had an idea but he hoped, by some odd chance, that he would be wrong.

Ivan lifted his head. "I would give you a very small cut, on your hand or arm, and I...would lick it, I guess."

It was an unnerving thought, knowing that Ivan was going to be licking his blood from an open wound. But currently, he was in no position to be defiant, not to mention all these 'warriors' that will want to suck his blood like leeches. The sooner Ivan can prove them all wrong, the safer he will be. "Okay..." He moved his arm out of the fur he had wrapped around him. "Do it where you want, but try not to hurt me too much."

"One moment." Ivan got up and took a dagger from his belt. He held it between his teeth while pushing the sleeve up Gilbert's milky white arm. Ivan looked for the best spot to cut him, but to his dismay, he found that he couldn't bear to mark the silken Elven skin with a cut. But he had a different idea. "Give me your finger instead."

Gilbert was bracing himself to feel a cut, but the way Ivan was looking at his skin didn't go unnoticed by him. One seeing violet eye was trailing up the length of his arm, eying it up as if it were a piece of meat or jewelry. It was strange to him, and he found that his mouth had grown fatigued with uncertainty. But he did as told, pointing out his index finger to Ivan.

Taking the tip of his dagger, Ivan pricked the palm of Gilbert's finger. He heard the other give a light gasp of pain and watched as a little pearl of bright red appeared upon the white. 'Beautiful'. Ivan thought.

It stung only for a little, but the pain began to fade into a dull sting. Gilbert saw Ivan staring at his blood, and somehow the sight made him uneasy.

"Ivan?" he called to him quietly, curious as to what he was doing.

"I'm sorry." He shook his head. "I was just...admiring your skin. So white and soft...I hate that I had to prick it like this." He brought Gilbert's finger up to his mouth, took it lightly between his lips, and tasted the blood. 'Sweet and metallic.' Ivan didn't take much but he let the fingertip linger in his mouth to see if he could sense any sort of new powers or strength.

Gilbert was about to tell Ivan that it was all right, and that the small cut would probably heal quickly, but all words escaped him when Ivan's lips touched his finger. It was sweet how gentle Ivan was being for someone so fierce, but the small sucking feeling made him turn a little red with embarrassment, and it even gave him a little shiver.

Ivan pulled his mouth away and licked his lips. He looked at Gilbert and smiled.

"I feel no different. I've tasted blood before and yours is no different. Tomorrow, however, I'll have to cut you more. I'll do just your palm."

Gilbert nodded and then looked at the tip of his finger. There was a small red line and some blood staining his skin slightly.

"Will that be the last time you have to cut me?" he asked.

"I hope it is. If all goes well tomorrow." Ivan kept his eyes on Gilbert's skin. "I won't let anything maim or harm you, Gilbert. I've seen Elves before...I know they are beautiful creatures...but I've never seen one so close before...one that I could touch." He quickly moved his hand away. "Ah, I'm sorry! That was silly of me!"

Ivan's words made Gilbert blush more. There was something so genuine about what he was saying, and true sentiment was hard to come by at his castle.

Gilbert shook his head, "No, don't apologize. It's... sweet." He shifted his eyes away shyly.

Ivan gave a crooked smile, pleased with Gilbert's reaction. He feared the Elf would be angry with him for what he did and said. Gilbert was even blushing! Ivan felt his own cheeks growing a little red. He wasn't like this in front of others. He had never been around such a delicate creature like Gilbert before. All of his clan members, men and women, are rough and strong with skin like armor and bones like iron. When he saw Gilbert, this angelic creature, he felt all warm inside. It was as if Gilbert could make HIM the prisoner instead.

"We should go to bed now, Lord Gilbert."

Gilbert moved backward more onto the bed of furs. He then put his ankles together. "You said you'd tie my ankles when we slept, so," he said and waited.

Ivan nodded and got the rope. He tied it lightly, but the strong knot would make it difficult for Gilbert to try and undo without waking him up. Ivan slipped off his boots and belt, leaving only his tunic and pants on, along with his scarf. He hesitated for a moment, looking at Gilbert to make sure it was okay to get into the furs. When Gilbert said nothing, Ivan slipped under the furs with him, keeping a distance between their bodies. He had to fix his scarf a bit.

Gilbert didn't have any intention of running. He would only be here for a little bit and Ivan would protect him, and he didn't want to risk getting caught by the others. Not to mention he had no idea where he was. Gilbert couldn't lie and say he was completely okay with sleeping next to Ivan yet, but he trusted him not to do anything. He turned to look at Ivan, seeing him fussing with his scarf.

"Why do you keep messing with it?" he asked. "It's like you're trying to hide or something."

Ivan paused, looking at him and not knowing what to say. It took him a moment to think about what to say, and he had a hunch that Gilbert wouldn't believe it.

"I like to keep it because it's my older sister's. She made it for me. It keeps me warm."

A small part of Gilbert didn't believe him. He believed that the scarf was made by his sister, but that didn't explain why Ivan kept trying to hide and messed with it so much.

Gilbert sighed, deciding not to push the subject. "That's nice. Your sister is quite good at knitting." He gave a small smile.

Ivan cast his eyes downward. "She's not with me anymore. I had two sisters, one older and one younger. My elder sister, who made me this scarf, died in childbirth some years ago. My youngest sister was...killed by her betrothed because she would not marry him and fought him all the time." His eyes turned dark. "And what that warrior did to my little sister, I did to him five times worse." He suddenly gasped. "I'm sorry! I rambled off like that! You don't need to hear such dark stories of my people."

He must have been so desperate to talk to another person that he spilled some of his life to Gilbert. It was embarrassing. Not only that, but he was forced to relive the memories of his sisters deaths. It was a tragic time in his life, one that he would rather forget or at least keep it hidden in the far corners of his mind.

A feeling of guilt hit Gilbert hard. He felt terrible that he'd brought up such terrible memories for Ivan. Slowly, he inched closer, hoping to show that he wasn't bothered by Ivan's talking and that he trusted him. He had a feeling that he needed to comfort people when they were upset, but he never knew how. And he didn't know how to now either.

"It's okay," he started. "I like hearing your stories. Just... maybe not such dark ones. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

Ivan found himself smiling at Gilbert. "It's not your fault. I've been alone for so long after my punishment that...I guess I'm talking too much." He looked bashful. "Life is what it is. You must think I'm so strange and weird. I probably smell bad to you and I'm all dirty. you're so perfect and clean, flawless and white. Are you a statue, Lord Gilbert?" he teased softly.

Gilbert chuckled, almost giggled. "No I'm not a statue." He paused to just watch Ivan for a moment. "I don't think you're weird. You're a bit dirty, and your scent is really strong. A bath would probably do you good," he playfully teased him with a little grin.

Ivan laughed too. "We don't get to bathe often. The lake is a little hike from here and it's always so cold to be naked in the water. But if you want, Lord Gilbert, I can roll around in the winter berry flowers near the village? That may help to make me smell better?"

"I might want some of those too. I'm used to bathing every day, so maybe I'll roll around in some flowers too." He almost laughed at the mental image, but it was one he actually liked. Something about it made him feel free of his noble blood.

"Maybe we'll have time to do that tomorrow." Ivan said and then yawned. "Goodnight, Lord Gilbert. I hope you sleep well."

Gilbert would have been happy about it, but thinking about tomorrow made him realize that he'd have to see Ivan's clan, which still frightened him.

"Yeah, goodnight," he spoke quietly and curled up into a small ball, pulling the fur up to his face.

The night passed on without issue and both men slept all through the cold winter's night. By morning, Ivan was up first and preparing himself for meeting with the clan. Gilbert was just waking up, stretching on the furs and yawning. Ivan smiled at the warm feeling of waking up with someone in his hut.

"Good morning, Lord Gilbert. Did you get enough sleep?"

Gilbert rubbed his eye and looked up at Ivan. "I did. The fur was more comfortable than that tree too," he joked lightly.

"Good. We need to get you ready. I'm going to untie your feet so you can walk, but I will need to keep your wrists bound." He walked over to Gilbert and knelt beside him. "There is something else. I'm going to have to act differently to you when I face the warriors. No matter what I say or do, remember that I am only acting. I need to act a certain way to keep you safe. I need them to think that I am viciously over protective of you so that they are less likely to challenge me. Do you understand?"

Gilbert nodded. "All right, I understand." He couldn't help but wonder what Ivan would be acting like. Probably similar to when they first met back in his room.

He put on his cloak and belt. "I'm going to have to be mean to you as well, but don't take it seriously. You can hit me all you like when we get back to the hut, okay?" He smiled.

Gilbert's face dropped. "I'm not going to hit you," he spoke as if he thought the idea was crazy.

"I'm just giving you the choice." Ivan untied the rope from his ankles and moved it to his wrists. "Let me get you some shoes. I only have slippers, they were my sister's, but you may be able to fit into them."

Gilbert only watched Ivan in silence for a while. He wondered if Ivan thought he was the type of person who would abuse him like that.

"Is anything wrong? You're looking at me oddly."

"Why would you give me the option to beat you?" he asked.

Ivan looked at him curiously. "I guess I respect you as a noble and you've been a nice Elf to me. You're different from other Elves and... Ah, it's not important." He had to hide his blush.

Gilbert tilted his head. "'And'...?" he questioned. "What is it? Tell me." Ivan's behavior was very strange but it made Gilbert very curious. He didn't quite understand Ivan's thought-process.

"We'll talk about it later." He helped Gilbert put the slippers on and luckily, they fit. "Alright, we have to be on our way now." He lifted Gilbert from the furs. "Be brave, okay?" Ivan gave him a smile.

Gilbert nodded, trying to put on a brave face. He couldn't help but feel nervous since he had no idea what to expect.

They walked through the village of gasping and gawking onlookers, all stopping in their daily routine to stare at the Elf walking by. Warriors lowered their weapons. Children pointed and laughed. Women spoke in whispers to one another. All eyes were on Gilbert.

Gilbert felt completely outnumbered. Every eye was on him, but for entirely different reasons than like when he was back home. The homes looked like Ivan's little hut, only larger, and the ground was paved with dirt and grass. He could feel small rocks poking through his shoes as well, which made it uncomfortable to walk on. Ivan's village looked so much different from his castle. There were no white stone buildings, only cloth huts that seemed to be held up by sticks. There were no pretty flowers, rivers, lakes, or waterfalls, just grass, dirt, and weeds growing in various places.

When Ivan approached the main square, the chief, along with his six wives, sat on a dais made from animal bones and wood. The chief was an elderly man but it could not be seen for he always wore heavy makeup paint of black, white and red to cover his face. The red paint went across his eyes, the white across his lips and around his jaw, and the rest was filled with black. He looked like a small head on a large body of furs with a wide helmet made from stag antlers and numerous feathers. The chair upon which he sat was also made from bones, fur and antlers. His wives were of various ages and dressed in wool skirts and heavy fur shawls. They stood around him in an arc.

The chief didn't make a single movement or sound as Ivan bowed to him and presented Gilbert. Ivan could only speak the native tongue to the elderly chief, a language that Gilbert would not be able to understand.

'Honorable Chief! I am Ivan, the Outcast! I have kidnapped the young Elven noble, Lord Gilbert! His people hold dominion over our lands! To show my strength, duty and honor to this tribe, and to make up for my failure, I bring us this Elven lord! He is my prisoner! He belongs to me.'

When arriving, Gilbert couldn't take his eyes off of the chief. He looked frightening, and the way he was surrounded by the women seemed unnatural. Ivan's loud voice made him flinch, and even if he couldn't understand what he was saying, Gilbert couldn't help but feel threatened.

'We will see if his blood hold any special power!' Ivan shouted to all of them. 'I expect to be welcomed back into the clan, since I have brought an Elven lord with me, something no one else has been able to do.' He boasted. 'My dedication to this tribe with this Elf is proof enough of my strength, power, and loyalty.' He glanced down at Gilbert as he waited for the chief to answer.

Gilbert locked eyes with Ivan. He desperately wanted to know what he was saying to everyone. Whatever it was, it didn't sound very good.

The chief called over a young warrior, one of his eldest sons, and whispered to him. The son nodded a few times before turning to Ivan. He spoke in the common tongue so Gilbert could understand.

"Brother Ivan, you have impressed my father with your prisoner. But, we must know, does his blood have powers?"

"I tried his blood last night." Ivan answered back in the common tongue. "As you can see, I am no different than I ever was."

"Prove it!" Shouted another warrior, the chief's second eldest. The warrior gave a snort, and then a laugh. "Strip before us, then! Remove your tunic and scarf! Let us see if those proud scars you bear still litter your body!" He was referring to Gilbert's 'healing powers'.

"Don't forget, my alphas," Called a warrior from the group of villagers. "Brother Ivan also bears the scars of shame and failure!" The crowd of warriors went up in a roar of laughter. Ivan frowned at their mocking.

"Remove your clothes then, Brother Ivan! Show us if his blood has healed you." Ordered the eldest son.

Ivan didn't want Gilbert to see his scars, but he had no choice. After this moment, Gilbert will probably never want to set eyes upon him again. He would have to tell Gilbert the truth about what the Elves did to his neck. Looking down at Gilbert, he started to remove his tunic.

As Ivan's scars were revealed to him, Gilbert's mouth slowly gaped. However, he was more appalled by the way Ivan's own clan was mocking him rather than being disgusted by the scars. He thought these 'warriors' were nothing but spineless cowards who mock those who have been injured, and it was a type of behavior that he hated. Gilbert was so used to lashing out at things like that, he had to bite his tongue to keep himself from yelling. Right now, he had to play the innocent, frightened prisoner.

Looking at Ivan now, he realized why he always tried to keep himself covered. It made Gilbert feel extremely miserable for him.

Ivan could feel Gilbert staring at him as he revealed his body. These scars were a symbol of pride and honor, for the more scars a warrior had, the higher respected he was. His back and chest bore the most scars, some faded from age, others light or dark pink. But it was the scars on his neck that were shameful. He closed his eyes and removed the scarf, holding it in his hands as the shiny pink skin of rope marks encircled his throat, five in total. He felt ashamed in front of Gilbert, being so maimed and scared as he was.

"You still bear those shameful scars on your neck!" Stated the eldest son. "Have you told this Elven lord what his kinsmen did to give you those rope scars?"

The sudden look of supreme terror and confusion on Gilbert's face probably answered the question the son asked. Gilbert's mind raced, wondering what his fellow Elves had done to Ivan, and the images weren't pretty at all. He looked to Ivan to see what he'd do. Gilbert could tell that he didn't want to reveal anything about the scars. Ivan's lips were pressed together tightly while his fists were clenching around the scarf.

Ivan couldn't bear to look at Gilbert, figuring that a look of repulsion was on the Elf's face. Instead, he focused his one-eyed gaze on the eldest son.

"It is not his doing, Alpha." Ivan answered loudly so that all could hear. "He is not of the Elves that did this to me. It has nothing to do with him. And as you all can see, his blood did nothing to heal my scars!"

"SHOW US!" Another shouted. "SHOW US HIS BLOOD!"

Ivan finally had to look down at Gilbert, and he was shocked to see that Gilbert's face was not a mask of revulsion but of sympathy.

When Ivan looked at him, his expression didn't change. It looked as if just seeing Ivan's scars broke him. He never knew battle, or even the slightest bit of hardship, and to hear that Ivan had suffered terribly at the hands of his own Elvenkind made him sick. He was surprised that Ivan didn't despise him for just being an Elf. Gilbert realized then that if Ivan had truly been out for revenge he would either be dead right now or brutally tortured. He was fortunate that Ivan is a kind, if not simple, caring beast of a man.

He knew what was coming, so he prepared himself mentally for Ivan to cut him again.

"I will prove to you that Elves hold no mystical powers of healing or immortality!"

Ivan took his dagger in one hand and Gilbert's wrists in the other. He whispered, 'I'm sorry' to Gilbert as he took the blade and cut a thin red line along the pale palm. He had to force Gilbert to his feet to show that the blood was red.

"Red blood! Not blue or silver! Not any other color!" He rubbed his fingertips on the cut to gather up some of the blood. He put it to his mouth and licked them clean. "My scars are still on me! I am no stronger than I ever was. Now we know that Elves are nothing more than mere pretty mortals that can be killed, just as we have been doing all along! So we can keep our fighting without fear of mystical powers!"

Gilbert flinched when his skin was cut, and stumbled as Ivan pulled him to his feet. It hurt more than the first time, especially when Ivan touched it. He hope that the chief and all the others would accept it as proof that he had no special powers. Ivan's final words bothered him a little, though. He knew he wasn't supposed to let it get to him, but it was hard not to.

"Then perhaps we should test this theory!" The second son said with amusement. "Let's test to see if you are immortal!"

Ivan gave a nod. "I will battle anyone who challenges me. If I win, I am allowed back into the clan."

The eldest son relayed Ivan's words to the chief, who shook his head 'no'.

"Brother Ivan, you have not fully proven yourself yet! You are still in need of your punishment for taking the horse!" The Alpha gave a dark grin. "Let's give you your punishment first, and then you can challenge a warrior! Win this fight, and we will give you only your home back and nothing more." The chief said something and the son was forced to add, "For now."

"I accept my punishment." He then whispered to Gilbert. "Don't show them you are weak. Don't close your eyes to what they do to me. I'll be fine, I promise."

Gilbert gave a weak nod to him. He couldn't help but be worried for Ivan.

Ivan went over to the Alpha Warrior, gave him a cold stare and got down onto his knees. Folding his hands behind his head, Ivan leaned forward to expose his back. The Alpha shouted for a whip to be brought to him. When the whip was in hand, the Alpha walked around behind Ivan, stroking the leather weapon with a smirk.

The Alpha looked over at Gilbert with a hungry look and licked his lips, out of range for Ivan to see.

Gilbert watched the Alpha, and when he saw him look at him, he cringed and shivered. He hated how the man looked at him, but at that moment he was worried only for Ivan. He tried not to look too scared, but he'd never been exposed to this kind of thing before. Punishment in his world was being scolded with a lecture and sent to your room; never a whipping or any other kind of physical punishment.

The whip came with a loud, harsh 'crack'. Gilbert wanted nothing more than to close his eyes but still he watched.

**End Chapter 2 TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

*****Thanks for all the support everyone! Here's chapter three! Sorry for the long update. The holiday time makes us crazy and busy! Read and Review! ^^ Read Tymu's (Previously Timlyn) chapter on AO3!**

*****Warnings: Language, violence**

*****Disclaimer: We do not own Hetalia. We are making no money off of this fic.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

The urge to squeeze his pink eyes shut was almost too strong. Gilbert ended up squinting a little, but he promised he wouldn't look away, though he knew that everyone knew he was bothered by it. He hated seeing Ivan down on his knees is such a degrading way, like his clan didn't care for him at all.

Ivan was used to pain so the lashings of the whip did little to bother him. There was a sting to each one, but he had learned, as a young warrior in training, the ways to combat pain. His only concern was Gilbert, and if the Elf was still watching him being punished. His back had to be slashed with bloodied marks by now. What would Gilbert think, he thought, of such wounds?

The slashes on Ivan's back were looking worse by the second, and Gilbert could have sworn that he saw blood dripping down his skin as well. He wanted to stop it, to stop Ivan from getting even more scars, especially over something as stupid as a horse, but he dared not move until the Alpha decided that Ivan had enough. It was not his place to defend Ivan, especially if many of these warriors around him did not know how to speak the common tongue. There was no use trying to reason with barbarians who couldn't understand proper speech.

When the Alpha had stopped, Ivan stood up and bowed again to the chief in respect, as was custom. His back ached as he bowed, but he knew how to block it out. Focusing his mind on another matter, he was able to turn the pain into a dull ache. Then he turned to face the crowd.

"I will let my challenger fight with a weapon of choice! I will fight with my bear hands!" Ivan cried loudly with his voice a deeper tone.

The marks on Ivan's back made Gilbert feel a little sick. He couldn't believe that Ivan was still standing and speaking after such a beating. Ivan saying he'd fight with his bare hands sent more fear into him. He didn't think anyone could fight and beat an armed opponent with just their fists. Hands were not as strong as weapons made of steel or metal.

Ivan watched the crowd, waiting for someone to take up his challenge. Finally, one warrior did so. He was a young warrior, about his age, with short black hair and more defined muscles. Ivan nodded to the man, acknowledging the challenge. The warrior picked a small club, swung it around, and smirked at him. Ivan prepared himself to fight.

They began circling each other slowly, with the warrior swinging the club a few times to demonstrate how well he could wield it. It was the warrior that struck first, but Ivan was prepared for it and ducked under the swing. He used the crouched position to tackle the man to the ground. Once he had the other down, he landed a punch to the face and then once to the shoulder. The warrior used his weight to roll Ivan over, but Ivan rolled back on top, ripping the club from the man's hand.

The crowd would expect him to use the club against the warrior, instead, Ivan tossed it to the side and engaged in hand-to-hand combat. They rolled around, wrestling and punching, until one got the upper hand. Ivan wrestled the warrior, locked the arm, and with a sickening snap, dislocating the shoulder joint. The warrior only hissed low in pain and Ivan got off of him, standing proudly over the body with one foot on the man's back. He wiped the blood from his nose and mouth with the back of his arm while the blood from his back continued to trickle.

He looked over at Gilbert, and gave a little smirk.

Gilbert was stuck in a series of wincing and gasping quietly whenever Ivan was pinned or looked like he was going to be hit. When Ivan was back on top, Gilbert had the urge to cheer but resisted doing so.

Then came the sound from the man's arm. It instantly made Gilbert want to vomit but he forced himself to keep it down. However, he couldn't help but close his eyes when he heard it. It was too much for him to see. When he peeked out between his white lashes again, he saw Ivan, bloodied and beaten slightly, smirking at him. He didn't know what to make of the look.

The warrior got off of the ground and snapped his arm back into place. He looked at Ivan, gave a nod of his head, and casually walked away as if nothing happened. The crowd clapped and cheered for the fine duel and the bravery of the warrior.

'I have proven myself worthy!' Ivan called to the chief in their native tongue. 'My punishment should now be lifted.'

The chief looked at Ivan, and then to Gilbert. With a small nod, Ivan knew he was granted his home back. No longer would he have to stay in that old hut alone. There was still a series of his pride he had to earn back but this was a start. Warriors were now looking at Gilbert as well, staring at him intently.

Gilbert cringed again, watching the warrior for a moment before looking back to Ivan. He listened to Ivan speak, though had no idea of what he was saying. After a few seconds, Gilbert noticed that many were staring at him. It made his heart beat slow with fear and his throat became dry, making it rough to swallow.

'The Elf is mine!' Ivan said to all of them. 'He belongs to me!'

He stormed over to Gilbert, high on bloodlust, and suddenly grabbed the Elf around the waist. With no effort, he hauled Gilbert up over his head, holding him high, and started to walk off with him. This was so everyone could see that Gilbert was his prisoner and mate, but Gilbert didn't need to know about the 'mate' part.

Gilbert gasped as he was lifted off his feet. He had no idea what was happening, and he was a bit frightened of how Ivan looked when he came to him. He saw the expression of the warrior as Ivan walked, but decided to just close his eyes instead.

"I'm sorry for that." Ivan said to Gilbert, lowering him down to carry in his arms. "I needed to do that. That's how we warriors show what belongs to us. We do it with any animals we kill; women, men, children, sheep and goats..." he blushed. "Not that you're like a sheep or a goat!"

Gilbert smiled crookedly. He thought it was cute how Ivan was blushing. "It's fine," he spoke softly. "So then…they won't mess with me now?"

Ivan shifted his eyes. "Hopefully. Some might challenge me for the right to have you. I will have to defend you like an alpha defending his mate. Do you know anything about animals and the way they work in the wild, Gilbert?"

"A little, I guess. I know the basics," he answered.

"Well, we are very close with animals. Yes, we hunt them for food, weapons and clothing, but we consider ourselves a part of their world. So many of the warriors look at themselves as alphas. They always get the pick of the women. Or male hunters."

"I should be safe then, right? I mean, I'm not a woman, or one of your hunters, so." He looked a little uneasy.

"But you are an Elf. Our enemy. A creature we can never have or touch. I'm the first of my warriors in this lifetime to hold an Elf captive." He couldn't help the little swell of pride he felt in his chest.

"I see... but you'll protect me from them, right?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes. You are mine, and I just made that known to all. Some will still challenge me for you, but they will all lose. I promise you."

Gilbert smiled. "I'm glad. I didn't like the way some of them were looking at me..." he said quietly. He remembered the man who whipped Ivan, and remembered how he looked at him.

"At least now we can go to my real home. My real hut. We're coming up to it now."

This home was bigger with a solid wood and stone roof covered with layers of dried straw and grass. The entrance was still a flap of fabric, only it was animal hide, not cloth. It was set far apart from some of the other surrounding huts, leaving room for items and anything else one might have need of.

Gilbert looked at the hut. It was nicer than the one he'd slept in last night, but still no where near as fancy as his own home. It would do better though. This roof looked sturdier with a strong stone base and that animal hide will keep the cold out far more than simple cloth.

"It's nicer," he commented as they got closer. He gazed around at the surroundings, noticing that the building was kind of by itself.

Inside was a mess when they first stepped in. The children had destroyed nearly everything in the way that small children do. At least his bed and hearth was still in tact, though messy and unmade.

"Rotten children." He muttered as he put Gilbert down. "Well, this is my real home. We need to go back and get my things from the other hut."

When he turned around to pick up some baskets, Gilbert was reminded of all the bleeding whip marks on Ivan's back.

Gilbert eyed Ivan's back up and down. "Wait," he suddenly spoke. "Um... shouldn't we, clean your back? You're still bleeding, and if you don't bandage it up it'll probably get infected."

"Bandage me? No, we warriors barely bandage. It's okay, Lord Gilbert, I barely feel it."

Gilbert narrowed his eyes a little. "I think you're lying…you're still bleeding. It has to hurt."

Ivan shook his head. "I don't feel pain, Lord Gilbert. I've been trained since a little boy to learn how to endure pain. Besides, you don't want to bandage me and this ugly, beat up old body." He teased softly.

"Can you... at least wash it? Or try to stop the bleeding? I hate seeing you bleeding like that..." It was true that seeing the bloody wounds was making Gilbert feel sick, but he also didn't like seeing Ivan bleeding. He still didn't fully believe that Ivan couldn't feel the pain.

Ivan gave him a longing look. "Does it bother you that much, Lord Gilbert? If it does, then I will get a bowl of water but...you will have to do it for me. I can't reach my back." He hoped that Gilbert would agree to clean his wounds, just like a mate would do for their alpha. The thought made his stomach flutter nervously. Gilbert nodded, and Ivan felt his heart skip a beat.

"I don't really like seeing blood, and... you've been nicer to me than I expected you to be, and I hate seeing people hurt, so..." He turned his face away as he rubbed his neck awkwardly. He was blushing lightly. "I'll do it."

"Alright, stay here a moment." He left the hut and quickly came back with a wooden bowl of water and a small cloth. "Here, use this to clean them." Taking the small stool from the corner of the room, Ivan sat himself on it with his back facing Gilbert, waiting.

Gilbert stood to the side of Ivan for a moment. "Could you untie my hands?" he asked softly. It would be easier if his wrists were free.

"Oh, of course." Ivan did so and turned back around, now eagerly waiting for Gilbert's touch.

Gilbert was glad to have his wrists free. Once he was, he went back around to Ivan's back, dipped the cloth in the water, then wrung it out. He gawked at Ivan's skin. There were many red and bloody marks left by the whip, and Gilbert wondered how anyone could just ignore such pain. Carefully, he began to rub the cloth along the wounds, starting from the top of Ivan's back, around his shoulder blades, and worked his way down.

Ivan shivered when Gilbert touched him, not in pain, but in delight. He had never had anyone, other than his sisters, care for his wounds so tenderly. He was surprised that Gilbert would even offer to clean his wounds. He thought that the Elf would be disgusted and appalled by the blood, but he wasn't. At least, Gilbert was strong enough to endure any disgust he may feel for the sight of blood. Ivan moaned softly as the water cooled his skin and gashes, relaxing his shoulders a bit.

Gilbert faltered when Ivan shivered. He thought he'd hurt the other and made his touches even more gentle. Bringing the cloth back to the bowl, he dipped it and squeezed the water and blood from it, wet it again, then went back to Ivan. The sight of blood made Gilbert queasy, but he hated seeing pain, even if Ivan claimed to not feel it. After a while, he noticed Ivan relax more, which pleased him and let him know that he was doing a good job. He'd never helped anyone in such a way before. Soon, Gilbert finished up by washing the wounds on Ivan's lower back. He stood back and looked at the skin, seeing the red and pink lines covering most of his back.

"There. All done." Gilbert placed the cloth in the bowl, rinsing it out again and frowning at how the water was now tinted red.

"Thank you, Lord Gilbert. If I had felt the pain, I know I would feel much better now." he said, standing up and smiling at him. "I can't see my back, but it feels like you did a great job."

"All the blood is gone, but the wounds still look pretty bad..." Gilbert looked a little worried. "They might get infected."

"Wait a moment." He went to a large chest-like object and opened the lid to search through it. Luckily, none of the children destroyed anything. He took out a small pouch, brown in color, and twirled his fingers around the leather tie. "This is healing salve my older sister made. Would you mind putting it on me? I usually don't bother with it, but I can see that it bothers you, so I want you to feel better."

Gilbert gave a little smile, then took the pouch. He opened it up and then looked at Ivan. "Sit back down," he instructed.

Ivan did so, eager to feel Gilbert's fingers on his skin once again.

Gilbert pushed his fingers into the salve, then gently began applying it to Ivan's wounds. He traced his thin fingers carefully over the lash marks, making sure he put enough on each one.

"That salve is cooling." He said softly. "And I'm sorry you had to see all that. We warriors must be very strange to you."

"It's all right," Gilbert spoke as he continued. He dipped his fingers in again to move to more wounds. "You're only strange because I'm not used to it. I bet if you came to my castle, we Elves would seem very weird to you too."

"I've seen how the Elves act when they are not in battle. I've spied on their camps. They never seem to get dirty, no matter how hard they work, and they just have a constant halo of beauty around them, like you." He let out a soft gasp when he realized what he said.

Gilbert momentarily froze upon hearing Ivan's words, letting himself blush a little. He smiled crookedly. "'A halo of beauty'?" he repeated. "I've never quite heard it put that way before." He aimlessly slid one finger along a rather large slash wound. He thought it was a cheesy way to describe someone's beauty, but cheesy in a way that made his cheeks warm.

Ivan was embarrassed, bringing his hands to his face to hide. "I only know so many...ah...poetic words, Lord Gilbert. That was silly of me to say."

Gilbert noticed Ivan covering his face, seeing that he was embarrassed. Gilbert was a little surprised by how shy Ivan seemed, for someone who had just dislocated a man's arm. "I don't think it was silly," he said. He was smiling a little behind Ivan, glad the other couldn't see him. Gilbert thought Ivan was strangely very sweet for who he was. It seemed that Ivan knew how to be gentle as well as brutal. A strange combination in a man, if he said so himself.

"I know I'm not as smart as you so...sometimes I say silly things. I'm not very good when it comes to talking to people."

The Elf couldn't help but think Ivan a bit cute. "I think you're doing fine. I don't think it's silly to say what's on your mind or how you feel. That's how you live, isn't it? Your people are always honest."

"Yeah." He cleared his throat. "If you want, Lord Gilbert, I can show you the ways of my warriors?" He looked over his shoulder at him. "You can learn to be a hunter. It would suit you with your slim build."

Pink eyes widened. "Me? A hunter?" he sounded like he didn't believe he could to it. "Wouldn't that make your clan angry or something?"

"You are my prisoner and my property. I can do whatever I like with you. I won't share with you our beliefs, but I can show you how to be...well...more than a pretty Elf."

Gilbert gave him a slightly irritated pout. "There's nothing wrong with being a pretty Elf," he said. "But... I have always wanted to use a bow... could I use a bow?"

"Yes. With your skinny arms a bow will suit you well. It won't be easy, but with proper training, you'll build up the strength to wield it properly."

"And you'd really help me learn?" He was hopeful.

"Yes. You have surprised me with how well you deal with...my warrior lifestyle that I think you may even come to like it. Or at least accept some parts of it."

"I told you before that I was bored with my own lifestyle. I still expect you to take me home eventually, and I haven't forgotten that you kidnapped me, but it couldn't hurt to learn more while I'm here." 'Without the judging eyes of Elven elders.' He said to himself.

Ivan chuckled. "You could learn how to be a warrior and a pretty Elf all at the same time! Beautiful but deadly! You can ensnare enemies with your beauty, trick them, and then let loose your bow!"

Gilbert grinned a little. "Yeah, I kind of like the sound of that."

"Then let's go get my weapons and furs from the hut! We'll try you out holding the bow. Although...I think I will have to craft you a smaller bow. Mine is very big."

"I don't think I can hold any of your weapons. They're all huge."

"I want you to at least get a feel for the bow." He said.

Gilbert nodded. "All right."

Ivan fixed his scarf around his neck and looked at Gilbert as he did. "The Elves who did this to me, who tortured me that time, were rogue soldier Elves that...I think...don't like to play by Elven law. I hate that you had to see these scars on my neck, Lord Gilbert."

Gilbert's expression turned sad. He couldn't stop staring under Ivan's jaw, knowing what was under the scarf. "It's fine, I don't mind seeing your scars... but... I'm so sorry that you had to go through that." He lowered his head almost shamefully. "Sometimes we Elves aren't the perfect creatures everyone thinks we are."

"It doesn't bother me much any more. The scarf hides them." He smiled softly. "I'm glad you aren't repulsed by my scars. I don't have to keep covering up for you. I wanted to spare you looking at me."

"I'm not repulsed by them at all," Gilbert said. "The only thing I'm repulsed by is the rest of your clan." He grimaced. "The way they mocked and abused you earlier, like it was fun for them, just disgusts me. If they were my Elves, I'd throw them all in a dungeon." He looked mildly angry.

Ivan took his hand. "It's just the way of my people. Being a warrior is better than being a king in our eyes."

Gilbert glanced at his hand, looking a bit shocked but didn't pull away. "I don't consider anyone who mocks another like that a warrior. There's nothing brave about it. It's pitiful, cowardly, even!"

"You may still come to understand our ways while you stay here. But come, let's go get my things! We can actually sleep on a real bed tonight!"

Gilbert still didn't understand how mocking a fellow warrior was a normal thing, but he nodded in acceptance. He was glad to hear that he would be sleeping on an actual bed now, though he doubted it would be as comfortable as his own back at the palace. With fresh white sheets sprayed with floral perfumes and fluffy pillows all prepared just right. He was starting to miss it.

After gathering everything from the hut, both Ivan and Gilbert carried the objects back. Gilbert had the furs and Ivan had the weapons. Ivan didn't want to set everything into place right away when they got back so he had Gilbert lay everything on the ground but kept the bow.

"I will have to make you a smaller bow, but just hold this and see how it feels." He held the longbow out to him.

Gilbert turned to Ivan when he spoke. Looking at the bow with eyes nearly sparkling, he reached out to wrap his fingers around the grip of the bow. He'd never touched a weapon before, he was never allowed to, except for the small dagger he kept under his pillow. The bow felt heavy as he lifted it. Thin fingers shifted around it, and Gilbert liked how it felt.

He looked up at Ivan. "Will you show me how to hold it properly?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes. Stand like this." Ivan put him in the correct stance. "Now, you need to hold the string like this." He held Gilbert's hands with his own, pulling the bow back. "See how it stretches? You need to keep your arm straight while holding the bow."

Gilbert could already feel his arms straining from being weak as they began shaking just slightly, and it frustrated him. He kept his arm straight as he pulled the string back with Ivan's help.

"Now, if you had an arrow, these two fingers on the string would be holding it. With good aim and practice, you will be able to hit a target, stale or moving."

Gilbert looked up at Ivan. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Ivan blinked, confused. "If you are worried about doing good with the bow, I can promise you that it won't happen overnight. It takes a long time to learn, unless you are magically skilled at it."

"Well... you don't trust me enough to let me sleep without my feet tied, but you're okay with teaching me how to use a weapon," he said. "I'm just a little surprised, that's all."

Ivan smiled. "You have more of a chance of running away than using a weapon. You don't have the heart to kill or wound, Lord Gilbert."

Gilbert knew Ivan was right. "Maybe not... But maybe I could if I really thought I could get away."

Ivan looked hurt. "Lord Gilbert, after all I've done for you, and how nice I've been...you would leave me? Or try to do harm to me?"

"You're still my kidnapper. How grateful should I be to someone who kidnapped me?" He asked with some sadness in his voice.

Ivan looked away sadly. "I've been kind to you. I still need you. I will return you to your castle once my name is clear. And then... You won't have to see me again."

A feeling of guilt filled the Elf, swelling in his chest. He didn't understand why. He'd been kidnapped, and while Ivan was more kind to him than any kidnapper was expected to be, Gilbert didn't feel fully safe. Still, he hated how utterly destroyed Ivan sounded when he said Gilbert wouldn't have to see him again.

"Would you... teach me how to hunt?" he asked, looking up through white lashes with guilt.

Ivan nodded silently. "Yes, I will teach you." He responded softly. "But first you have to learn how to use a bow properly. I'm going to make you one right now. And I'll ask some of the women to find you better clothing, ones that fit."

"Thank you." Gilbert paused for a moment. "What should I do while you do that?" he asked

"Come with me first. I don't want to leave you alone until you are able to defend yourself. I need to get the wood and your clothing."

Gilbert simply nodded and followed Ivan closely.

They didn't have to go far. Ivan lived close to the weaponry. At first, he wasn't sure if the warriors running it would let him take what he needed. Instead, they paid him no mind, allowing him to get the wood that he needed. The warriors, however, were staring at Gilbert, speaking low in their own language. One spoke something to Ivan in their native tongue. Ivan looked back at Gilbert as he responded.

Gilbert looked around at the different weapons in the area. It wasn't long before he noticed the stares from the others. They unsettled him, and made him move closer to Ivan as if he was seeking protection. He looked at Ivan as the man spoke in a language he didn't understand.

"We're done here." He said. "Let's go." He had the wood in his hand and the string to make the bow.

Gilbert nodded and followed Ivan once again, choosing not to ask about the secret conversation. Something told him he didn't want to know what the warrior was asking Ivan.

On the way they stopped at another large house where a woman gave Ivan some smaller clothes for Gilbert to wear. When they returned to his home, Ivan put down the bow and placed the clothes in Gilbert's arms. "Here. These will fit you much better."

Gilbert looked at the clothing. They did seem much smaller and would fit better than his current outfit. He glanced up at Ivan. "Is there a place I can change?" he asked.

"Just in here, but I'll turn around." Ivan did so, taking a knife and the stick for the bow to sit in the corner of the house. He began to carve the stick.

The Elf watched him for a moment, but then laid out his new clothes. He removed his old ones, and felt a chill throughout his body. Hurrying, he pulled the new pants on and slipped the shirt over his head, and adjusted them to feel comfortable. They were nothing of grander, only simple brown and black, no color at all. Then he wandered over to Ivan. He was curious of how Ivan was going to make the bow, and started watching from over his shoulder.

Ivan sensed Gilbert was behind him but he said nothing, continuing on with his work. Gilbert's words had really hurt him. He figured he should have thought as much of Gilbert to want to go home. Why would Gilbert want to stay here with him? This world was so much different than what the Elf was used to. It was foolish of him to think that Gilbert would want to actually stay here in this primitive world. In some ways, he guessed he just wanted Gilbert to want to stay with him and enjoy living this life the same as he did. Wishful thinking of a fool.

Gilbert kept watching, unknowing of what Ivan was thinking. He noticed how well Ivan worked, like he'd done it a million times. Gilbert thought maybe he had. Glancing at all the other weapons, he knew that Ivan had more skills than just fighting. It seemed that a warrior could not only be a strong fighter but an artist as well, as craftsman.

"You're really good at that," Gilbert spoke, not taking his eyes off of Ivan's hands. He leaned closer, inadvertently leaning into the other so that just the outline of his body was touching his.

Ivan felt Gilbert's body heat against his back and it made his heart skip a beat. Gilbert was very close to him, so much so that he could smell him.

"Thank you. As a warrior, I must know how to make weapons. This bow will be the perfect size for you. I think you'll like it."

Gilbert smiled. "Where I'm from, our guards have their steel made for them by blacksmiths. They never make it themselves," he said. Gilbert didn't move. He was so interested in the making of his bow and how it was done that he didn't realize he was leaning onto Ivan more heavily, trying to look even closer. There was a part of him that was trying to patch things up from earlier. He knew Ivan must still be a little upset by what he said, so he wanted to show Ivan that, while he still wanted to go home, he wouldn't mind learning more about Ivan and his culture.

"We have our blacksmiths as well, only we do not have the ability to make blades so pretty like Elven swords. But our weapons cut harder and faster when it comes to taking down enemies." He stated plainly. "Also, a warrior can develop a specific bond with a weapon that he makes on his own."

It was then that Gilbert looked to Ivan rather than the bow. "A bond?" he sounded curious. "Do you have a weapon like that?"

"Yes, my ax and my club. They never fail me. They are like my protectors. My trusted friends. We work as a team."

"A weapon as a friend?" Gilbert looked down at his unfinished bow. "... Do you think that bow could be like that for me?"

"It's what you make of it, really. You have to experience it first before you can feel a bond."

Gilbert thought it was interesting. "I hope I have something like that. It'd be nice to have a friend, like you said. A protector." He chuckled at how silly he sounded.

"I know you think it's silly." Ivan said softly after hearing the laugh. "You don't have to pretend to accept it to make me happy."

Gilbert frowned. "I'm not pretending," he said, looking at Ivan. "Isn't it better to put your trust in a weapon rather than another person?"

Ivan nodded. "You sound like one of us now. A weapon will never betray you." He stood up then, handing Gilbert the bow. "Just try it for a moment. Tell me how it feels."

Gilbert eyed the bow before taking it. It felt lighter than Ivan's, so he knew he could hold it better. He'd still have to build up some muscle in his arms if he wanted to really use it though. "I like it, it feels good," he said with a tiny smile.

"Is it too heavy? I can slim it down a bit more if you want?"

"If you think that'd be better. It's lighter than yours but still a little heavy." He looked up at Ivan.

Ivan took it back. "Let me thin it more." After a little bit, Ivan handed the bow to Gilbert again with a little smile. "Now try it."

Gilbert lifted it easily and smiled happily. "It's perfect. It feels even better than before."

"Good. I'll smooth it down and get a string tied to it and then we can start practicing tomorrow. It'll be too dark by the time I'm done, and we don't want any loose arrows flying." He teased.

Gilbert pouted a little. "I bet I'll be great at this in no time," he boasted proudly.

"Maybe. But you shouldn't think you're so quick to learn, because you can set yourself up for failure. There will be plenty of time to be proud after you learn."

The Elf let out a little 'hmph' noise. "I've never failed at anything."

"You weren't raise to fight. It's a different world. Fighting with fists and weapons is a lot different than fighting with words and books."

"I guess, but I bet I'll still be good."

Ivan chuckled. "I guess I should say that I hope I'm a good teacher. I've never actually taught someone." He flushed softly.

"Well if you're half as good at teaching as you are at making weapons and climbing walls and trees, I say you'll be fine," he chuckled.

"I hope so." He took the bow back. "Do you want to come with me to get a sanding block or do you think you can wait here?"

"I'll go with you," he said. "I don't feel comfortable by myself here yet."

Ivan nodded and led him out into the village. Along the way, Ivan was noticing how the other warriors were staring at Gilbert. He knew they wanted the Elf, as both a lover and prisoner. Gilbert's alluring looks and unique race made him all the more desirable. It was as if he had brought a fine piece of meat and was dangling it in front of each one to be gawked and drooled over. If the warriors weren't going to fight him for the right to Gilbert first, it would be the warriors amongst themselves.

The warriors would start to talk the other up, commanding a fight for the Elf, and the strongest would challenge Ivan. Ivan knew how his clan worked. He knew how they dealt with one another when it came to matters of dominance when mating was concerned. He feared for when Gilbert would witness such a display of dominance, like two wild beasts clawing at one another for the pick of the mates. The Elf would be disgusted, and then, he would want to leave him all the more. He was certain that Elves did not duel one another for the hand of another Elf but did something simpler, like make treaties and contracts.

He glanced back at Gilbert, seeing the Elf still following him but looking all around at their surroundings. He thought of what it would be like if Gilbert chose to live with him, together, as mates. Did Gilbert think anything of the same? Of course not, Ivan thought to himself. Why would he?

"This is where the stones are." he showed Gilbert a smaller hut filled with different types of stones and tools. "This one we use for sanding. See? This side is rough. This makes the wood smooth." He showed the side of the rock that had a rough, sandy-like texture. "These are special rocks from our woods. Feel it."

Gilbert tried to focus on everything but the other warriors. He hated seeing the look on their faces. Instead, he gazed around at the scenery. It was much different and colder than his home, but there was something almost... nice, about it. His home was too bright, too hot, the sun would shine all day and it hardly rained. He didn't think it ever snowed, he never remembered it snowing. Ivan's home was less fancy and more dirty, but it felt more like a home. Everything was made by the people themselves, whereas Gilbert always had everything handed to him on a silver platter. Literally. He was actually quite excited to have Ivan teach him how to shoot.

Once they arrived, Gilbert looked around curiously, like he'd been doing to everything else, but his focus shifted when Ivan spoke. He looked at the sanding tool, then reached his hand out to feel it. He looked mildly surprised by the cool feeling of the rocks, and then smiled.

"What makes them special?" he asked, sounding curious.

"They come from one of the mountains far from here. It's an adventure when some warriors and hunters go to mine more. These are very precious here in my clan. For one, they-" He was stopped by a warrior coming up to them. Immediately, he pushed Gilbert behind him, turning his soft features (which he often used just for Gilbert's sake) and turned them hard and dark. Ivan saw around the warrior's neck one of the 'mating' necklaces that they often wore when one was searching for a mate. He knew this warrior's intent was to challenge him for the right to Gilbert, but he wouldn't let the warrior have him.

Gilbert was interested in what Ivan was saying, but looked completely confused when he was pushed behind him. He peeked around Ivan, seeing the other male and just watched him. He didn't trust anyone here, aside from Ivan, and he still didn't trust him fully.

Ivan spoke to the warrior in their native language.

'Why do you challenge me, brother?' Ivan asked, even though he knew the reason. He just wanted to hear it.

'For the right to that Elf. You are not the only one who seeks vengeance against their race, brother.'

Ivan smirked. 'Well, he happens to be mine. Go get your own Elf.'

'Why get my own when I can have yours?'

'Do you wish to challenge me, then?' Ivan cracked his knuckles. 'I'll even let you have the first hit.'

Gilbert listened to the two speak, but it frustrated him that he couldn't understand them. He made a mental note to try to learn Ivan's language at some point. When he heard Ivan's knuckles crack, he looked up at him, wondering what he was saying to the other. He had a feeling that the other warrior wanted him, and Gilbert cringed at the thought of what he wanted him for. These people really were like animals!

Ivan prepared himself for the first hit, watching the moves of the other closely to try and determine where he was planning to hit. The other man hit first, just as planned, and Ivan allowed for the fist to slam into his gut. For a moment, he had to laugh, imagining how silly Gilbert would look if he tried to hit the same way this warrior did. When the warrior took a step back, Ivan slowly regained his straight stance, glancing back at Gilbert with a smirk.

"It didn't bother me at all."

Gilbert cringed when Ivan was hit. He expected it to hurt him, but when Ivan did nothing but give him a smirk, he looked shocked. Ivan was tough, and seeing Ivan get hit in the gut and not even flinch made him realize that if he ever tried to hurt Ivan to get away, he'd regret it.

Turning back to the fight at hand, Ivan removed his scarf to toss it to Gilbert, tilting his head this way and that to crack it.

The warrior, waiting for an attack, chose to spit at Ivan's feet, not once but twice to show his disrespect. It was clear that Ivan was still not fully accepted by his fellow warriors.

Yet the spit set him off. It was degrading, and by the time Ivan would be done with this fight, that saliva would have more red than white. And so he charged, head on, without a moment of hesitation. They embraced in a hug, like two massive bears colliding in a duel of giants. Ivan knew he outweighed the other warrior and used his body strength to flip the man over. The warrior fell to the ground but quickly got up to tackle Ivan's legs, knocking him down onto his back. With a powerful grip, Ivan's fist was in the dark hair, twisting and pulling violently to get the other off. They rolled over so Ivan was now on top. A series of punches came from both as they rolled and tumbled along the ground, kicking up heavy clouds of dust.

But it was Ivan who got the upper hand. It was common for warriors of their clan to go blind with bloodlust when it came to a one-on-one fight. The result of a mating fight had to result in death, or the other had to fully surrender, which would banish them from the clan forever in shame. Death was better than shame, so Ivan let this brave warrior have his fighter's pride. He couldn't resist punching the man's face, using all the strength of his powerful fists to beat the face into a mass of unrecognizable flesh. This was small payback for the disrespect that they have shown him.

The warrior had died long before he chose to stop. In his victory, he yanked the necklace from the warrior to tie it around his own neck. Now Gilbert was his once again.

'Gilbert!' He froze, his eyes going wide with horror as he realized that Gilbert had watched him kill another man. What must he look like to Gilbert, showered in another's blood with fists that could kill? Slowly, he turned to look back at Gilbert, fearing the look that would be on the Elf's face.

Gilbert watched the two fight. He'd grown to enjoy watching Ivan beat everyone up for his sake, but when Ivan started to relentlessly punch the other, he became fearful of that violent nature. With each punch, Gilbert backed up, nearly stumbling over the many tools in the room. When Ivan turned to look at him, Gilbert tripped backward and fell to the ground, his expression one of complete horror. He'd just watched a man kill another man, with his bare hands. Deep inside he knew Ivan had to fight the man, or else he'd have to give him up, and Gilbert didn't want to think about what the others would do to him, but he couldn't just accept what he'd just saw. It terrified him.

"Gilbert...I...this is...please don't be scared! I...I didn't mean for you to see any of this!"

"Don't be scared...?" Gilbert repeated quietly, then grit his teeth. "How do you expect me not to be!? You just punched a man's face in!"

"It's the way of my warriors! Of my people! That is not how I would ever treat you! That warrior wanted to mate with you! He would have taken you, raped you, and then killed you to get his vengeance on Elves! The thought of someone else even looking at you in a desirable way makes me want to rip their eyes out! This is how I can protect you. I...I didn't mean for you to see this side of my people, but there's no hiding it now. This is what you see." He held up his bloodied hands. "These are also gentle hands...you know that. I would never harm you like that. Ever." 'You're my mate.' He said the last three words in his tongue, knowing that Gilbert couldn't understand.

Gilbert was conflicted. He knew Ivan was telling the truth, he would have hurt him by now if he had those intentions, but it was still hard to not be frightened by a man so strong. Ivan's words sounded so affectionate. Gilbert couldn't ignore the way Ivan spoke so protectively, as if he were in love. He watched Ivan hold up his hands, and he did know that he was gentle, he had seen it a few times before, but the blood made him feel ill.

The Elf shivered slightly. "Do... do you have to kill them?" he asked weakly, sounding a bit sick. His eyes were on the dead warrior's mutilated face, and he cringed backward on the ground.

"When it comes to mating? Yes. But not all the time. You see this necklace? This is a special necklace worn during a mating duel. When a warrior wears this, he is willing to fight to the death to obtain a mate. If a warrior challenges another without a necklace, then it does not end in death. But in this case, he had to die."

Gilbert looked at the necklace. "So then... just for a chance to have me, he came in here ready to fight to the death?"

Ivan nodded. "That's right. I said it before, he would have raped you and then killed you if I had lost. But I wouldn't lose. I never lose."

Ivan's words made him feel uneasy. "You promise you'll always win?"

"I promise. I won't let them hurt you." He turned away. "Follow me. I'll get washed up at the watering bin so you don't have to see this blood. Someone will carry him away and give him a proper warrior burial."

Gilbert shakily stood up. Even though Ivan had blood on him, the Elf still stayed close to him. Surrounded by a bunch of people who wanted to hurt him, Ivan was the only one he felt safe around.

**End Chapter 3 TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

*****Hello guys! Thanks for all your support! Here's chapter 4 for your reading pleasure!**

*****Warning: Weapon use, hunting**

*****Disclaimer: We do not own Hetalia. We are making no money off this fic.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

At the water bin, a few women looked at him in mild surprise before returning to their duties. Ivan took a cloth from the edge of the tub and started washing off the blood, beginning with his arms. The water was cool against his heated skin as he silently watched the rivulets of blood trickle down his arm and fall into the bin.

Gilbert watched him for a few moments, then picked up another cloth and helped wash Ivan's other arm. He did it without speaking or really hesitating.

Ivan paused to look at him. "You don't have to do that, Lord Gilbert." He stated softly.

"I know," the Elf replied. He leaned a bit closer and lowered his voice. "But... you're fighting your own clan members to the death, just to keep me safe. The least I can do is help you afterward."

'Just like a mate!' Ivan thought to himself with a smile. This is just some of the many things mates did for their alphas, although, Ivan doubt Gilbert would be submissive like most other mates of his clan. Mates had a special code to follow with their alphas; he could see Gilbert rebelling against all the rules. To Ivan, the rebellious idea was exciting because even though he grew up in a very strict society, the idea of acting the opposite pleased him. It made him tingle with joy.

Gilbert looked at him. "Why are you smiling?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh! Ah, sorry. I guess I'm just happy that you are doing this. I feel special."

The Elf's cheeks turned a light pink. He didn't say anything else and looked back at Ivan's arm, continuing to wash the blood from his skin and avoided eye-contact. He didn't know why he was blushing. Something about Ivan was just so sweet, and even cute, regardless of how strong and brutal he could be. Gilbert had never been so close to someone, everyone back home was either tying to impress him so they'd have his favor, or trying to double cross him and his family. He didn't have any friends or anyone to actually be with. Ivan seemed to care for him, and it wasn't because he wanted money or a marriage. Gilbert liked the thought of being liked for just being himself.

"When I'm clean, we'll go and get our share of dinner and bring it back to the hut. This time we can have real meat to cook all fresh! We don't need dried meat any more." He splashed water on his face, rubbing away the blood droplets sticking to his skin.

That made Gilbert smile. He loved the idea of eating fresh and cooked meat. He started to wash Ivan quicker, but still did a good job, until the blood was gone.

Now clean, Ivan showed him where all of their hunting kills were stored. Under a large flat tent were numerous tables covered in slabs of meat, ranging from large to small. The warrior behind a table congratulated Ivan on his wins and, as a reward, offered him a choice of meat from the carcass hanging behind him. Ivan picked out the shoulder for them and the warrior set to carving it off. Then Ivan remembered something- Gilbert was with him. He was certain that the Elf had never seen how meat was first prepared before it came to his silver plate fully cooked. He risked looking at Gilbert, hoping the Elf wasn't ready to vomit.

Seeing all the meat around did make Gilbert feel a bit queasy, but he held it down and realized that this was just how things were done. He even thought to himself that maybe one day he'd be getting and carving his own meat in the same way. When Ivan looked at him, he offered a small smile. He was clearly a bit uncomfortable, but he hoped his smile proved that he was trying to accept and even show an interest in how Ivan lived.

The slab of meat was handed to him and Ivan simply carried it in his hands. "Do you prefer stew or rack?" Ivan asked him after he saw that Gilbert wasn't passing out from the sight of raw meat.

"Hm... stew sounds good, if that's all right?" the Elf replied.

"Yes. Let me just pick up some herbs before we go." The spice and herbs were under another tent, all separated and stashed in hanging baskets for anyone to take. "Pick which spices you want, Lord Gilbert. If you are unsure of what they are, I will tell you."

Gilbert looked at the baskets. He had no idea what any of the spices were. He never learned the names or looks of the spices or ingredients in the food he ate; it just came to him and he ate it. He really was like a spoiled child, he felt a tad bit embarrassed for not knowing, and he didn't want Ivan to know.

"I don't care," he spoke. "Whichever you think is best."

Ivan picked some very simple herbs like rosemary and pepper corn. He let Gilbert hold them, figuring the Elf would want to hold something that wasn't raw and bleeding. "I think that's everything. Let's go back."

Gilbert nodded holding the spices as to not drop them, then followed Ivan back to his home.

The stew was made and set hanging in the hearth, its rich aroma filling the stale smelling hut with a spicy scent. Ivan was sanding Gilbert's bow while the two of them sat quietly. Ivan figured Gilbert was thinking about the fight he witnessed today. He wondered if he should bring it up at all.

The Elf tried not to think about it, but whenever he'd look at Ivan, he'd glance to his hands, and the memory of seeing and hearing Ivan punch that other warrior to death would haunt him. The silence was bugging him, though, but he didn't know what to even say to Ivan.

"It'll be cold tonight." Ivan suddenly spoke. "The stew will help to keep your belly warm." He smiled. "Then we should go to sleep after we eat. We have a big day of practicing tomorrow."

Gilbert gave a little smile, but frowned shortly after. "It smells good."

"What's wrong? You seem sad. Are you...thinking about today?"

"How could I not? It's not easy to just forget...that."

"You're not used to it and I understand how you can feel. I see that every day. You have not seen death, have you?"

Gilbert shook his head slowly. "I've been sheltered from that kind of thing my entire life..."

"All death though? Haven't you had family or friends die?"

Gilbert turned away. "My mother died when I was young. I don't like to talk about it."

Ivan gave a little nod. "I understand. What about your father?"

"He's a jerk." Gilbert's voice had a bit of anger to it. "He's alive, but we're not on good terms."

"Do you think he misses you? They must know you're gone by now. I know my father would miss me if something happened to me." He looked to the bow. "My parents died when I was very young. I was raised by my big sister mostly. My mother became very ill after my little sister was born. She just...couldn't get better. She stayed with us for maybe two years before she died. Then my father was killed on a hunt. A mountain lion killed him."

"My father probably doesn't miss me, but I bet he's trying everything he can to get me back." He forced a chuckle. "And by that I mean he's telling his guards to look for me." He went quiet for a few seconds. "My mother died of an illness too. No medicine would make her better, until she just passed in her sleep."

Gilbert suddenly realized something. Ivan had lost most of the people in his family. "So you...you've been alone for a long time then...?"

Ivan lowered his eyes. "Yes, I've been alone. Once I reached manhood, I couldn't be with my sisters anymore. They had to go with the women and do their jobs. I had to go and do mine. Now they are gone and...it's just me here."

Gilbert had always been surrounded by people, regardless of if they were friends or not, but that made him feel lonely so he could relate to Ivan in that sense. "Well...you're not totally alone... I'm here, so..." he said, trying to lighten the mood a little. He wasn't sure how to cheer someone up, especially when he himself was still a little shaken by the fight from earlier.

"But you have lots of people around you, right?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't consider them friends. I'm not really close with anyone."

"Why not?"

"Well...when you're nobility, people don't usually make nice with you just for your friendship. They always want something. A business deal, protection, a marriage..."

"It kind of works that way here too."

"I hate it. It makes me feel like no one actually likes me," he said. He pulled his legs to his chest as he sat on the ground. Part of him felt sad because at least Ivan had the respect of some of his fellow warriors. Most Elves didn't respect Gilbert, but simply needed him for their own gain.

Ivan put down the bow. "How so?" He asked. "I don't understand. Can you tell me more so I can better understand you? I don't know how being around so many people can be lonely. I would love to have a lot of people with me."

Gilbert thought about it for a few moments, thinking of how to say it. When he spoke, he still wasn't sure if he worded it well enough. "It's like... Imagine being around people, but they don't actually care about you at all. All they care about is your status. I'm a nobleman's son, so anyone who talks to me just wants me to put in a good word for them with my father, or they want me to marry their daughter, or something like that." He paused. "It's lonely when you have people around you who want nothing to do with you as a person. They'll use me in whatever way benefits them the most. It gets lonely when you can't trust anyone because you don't know if their compliments are real."

Ivan's eyes widened slowly. "I never knew it was that hard for...someone of your status. I thought you had it very easy, Lord Gilbert. But in my world, no one is sneaky or a double-crosser. We settle everything through a fight. Whoever wins, that is who is the victor. My clan always side with the one who wins. The one who wins is the one who is the strongest and he is the one that can be trusted. So maybe...all your pretty lifestyle...is actually more dangerous than mine."

"It kind of is. My lifestyle is very lavish and rich, but everyone is always looking to double-cross the other through schemes and dirty tricks. It's always about who has a bigger influence or has more money. Having a true genuine friend is practically impossible for noble children. We're like pawns for our parents to use to their benefit."

"That's terrible." Ivan responded. "Parents should stand up for their children and want to protect them. Not throw them into the line of fire!"

"The only reason my father will want me returned home is so that he can marry me off to some woman and give him an heir." Gilbert lowered his head into his arms. "I want nothing to do with it..."

Ivan got up and went over to him. "You could just stay here where those rules won't apply to you?"

Gilbert looked a bit surprise. "No. No I can't stay here." He shook his head. "I'm a prisoner, and everyone here wants to kill me, or worse."

"But if you...become my mate you can be safe here." It was worth a try, Ivan thought.

"Your mate...?" Gilbert shifted uncomfortably.

"If you really hate the way people treat you in your world, you could make a new life here with me." He gave a nervous smile. "I can teach you to live like me. You can be free here with me! And if you are my mate, no one will touch you. They can't."

"But...being your mate implies that you...will touch...me..." he sounded and looked nervous, gripping the furs in his fists.

"I'll bathe myself completely so I will be clean for you." He said innocently, not quite catching on to Gilbert's words.

"That's not what I mean." He blushed a little. "It's not your dirt or scent." He paused. "Mating involves...sex..."

"Sex?" He thought about the word for a moment. "I don't know that word. Mating is bonding. Our bodies connect, like the animals do."

Gilbert's eyes widened. He was completely baffled by the fact that 'sex' wasn't part of Ivan's vocabulary. He started to blush more as he thought about how to explain it in his terms. "When you say 'connect like animals do'...what do you mean?"

"When the animals...ah, make love, maybe? Is that a better word for 'sex'? It's when the male animals go to the female animals and fill them with offspring." He added to the details by patting his belly.

Gilbert turned a darker red. "Yes, that's a better word...it's the same thing. I assume making love is very different between our two cultures..."

Ivan felt himself blushing as well. "In my clan...we mate to bond because we like the other, not just for business and children." He blushed a darker shade now. "I would be very gentle with you, Lord Gilbert. You see that I can be nice, and I'm always very nice to you."

Gilbert didn't doubt that Ivan would be gentle with him, but he'd never been with anyone before. He'd never even been touched in that way before, and he has seen, first hand, what Ivan's hands are able to do. Thinking about it made him feel nervous, but it wasn't entirely a bad feeling. It was the kind of feeling one gets when something exciting and new happens.

"I...I can't just decide this right now." He looked away, cheeks a dark red. "You're asking me to give myself to you, and let you...do things to me." To make things worse, he only knew the very basics of sex and nothing else.

"It's because I want you to stay with me, Lord Gilbert." Ivan said honestly. "Yes, I did kidnap you but I don't see you as my prisoner any more. And I really like you."

"It's not that easy for me," he said a bit louder, looking at Ivan with distress in his eyes. His face was still red, especially from Ivan confession, but he looked a little upset. "I'm scared of the whole 'mate' thing, and I'm scared of giving up my old life for one I know nothing about."

"Lord Gilbert, I'm sorry!" He said, sharing in Gilbert's same hurt and distressed expression. "I understand what you mean. I won't mate with you or touch you in any way, and I will show you the ways of my people. Maybe then, you will want to stay here and be my mate. Then we both don't have to be lonely anymore." He found himself smiling. "I want us to become one, Lord Gilbert. I will work hard to prove to you that I am a strong mate you will be worthy of!"

It was very easy for Gilbert to get caught up in Ivan's words. A part of him really wanted to just do it. To leave behind his palace and silk sheets. With Ivan's last sentence, Gilbert found himself even more embarrassed. Ivan really seemed to want to impress him, but it didn't feel like he just wanted Gilbert for sex, and that made him happy.

Gilbert offered him a sweet smile. "You don't need to prove that you're strong," he said. "I just...need some time before I think about, um...'becoming one' with you." He rubbed his neck shyly.

Ivan softly cleared his throat. "I'm...really good at it, you know."

Gilbert recoiled backward a little, looking stunned and blushing an even darker shade of red. "W-Why say something like that?" he stuttered in embarrassment.

Ivan, suddenly embarrassed too, covered his nose with his scarf and sunk his head into his shoulders, like a turtle. "Just...something to...keep in mind?"

"Are you trying to bribe me that?" Gilbert pouted slightly. He couldn't deny that Ivan had him thinking now. He thought about the fact that Ivan wasn't just good, but 'really' good, and that made his stomach feel a bit strange, even though he had nothing to compare it to.

"No...I just don't want you to be afraid of it. It will hurt at first but then it gets better, and I will take my time mating with you. I want us to bond together forever as one!" His face was still red.

"You're strange..." Gilbert mumbled and looked away. He wasn't sure how to even respond to someone like Ivan. The man barely knew him and already he was talking about being with him forever. "But...you're cute," he said. He wanted to at least let Ivan know that he did like him, even just a little.

"Cute? You think I'm cute? Not...manly?"

"You're both, but sometimes the way you act is cute."

"Ah, I guess that comes with being raised by a sister..." He looked bashful. "I think the stew is done!" he quickly changed the subject.

Gilbert smiled and got up. He went to the bowl the stew was in, then looked at Ivan. "It smells delicious," he complimented it again.

Ivan took the wooden bowls he had and ladled out a large portion for Gilbert. "Here you go."

Gilbert noticed that there was no spoon or fork. Ivan got his own and held the bowl to his lips to drink the soup and used his hand to pick up the pieces of meat.

He watched Ivan for a second before looking at his own bowl. It was different from how he ate stew back home, but he figured that if he was even thinking about staying here, he'd have to live like Ivan did. And maybe that meant no eating with utensils. Mimicking Ivan, Gilbert put the bowl to his lips and began to drink the soup first.

"How is it?" Ivan asked. "Is the broth good? Too spicy? Too sweet?"

Gilbert took a long sip. "It's good. It's sweet, I like it."

"I know it's not a fancy food but it will keep you full all throughout the night. I promise you that!"

"It tastes great. You're a pretty good cook." He smiled.

"I've learned from my sisters. I've had to cook on my own for a very long time now. At first I would burn everything and almost set the roof on fire!"

Gilbert chuckled. "I've never cooked before. I bet I'd catch something on fire too."

"So I'm guessing you really do get everything handed to you?" Ivan teased.

"On a shiny silver platter," he said with a grin.

Ivan looked at his wooden bowl. "So I guess you weren't expecting these?"

"Something like that." He took another sip. "It's weird, though... I don't really mind it."

"If you think about it, what a bowl is made out of doesn't matter. All bowls do the same thing: hold things. Keeps them from spilling. Doesn't matter if it's gold or wood, right?"

"Mmhm." He picked up a piece of meat between his thumb and index finger. "As long as I get the food, I don't care what it comes on." He sucked some juice off the meat before taking a small bite.

Ivan grinned proudly and thumped his chest with his fist. "See? I'm a good provider for you!"

"I never said you weren't," the Elf said with a little smile.

"I know. But I'm just trying to impress you." He said bashfully. "I want you to want to be my mate so I have to do all kinds of things to make you think I'm worthy enough to mate you. You must think that's silly, huh?"

"It's normal to want to impress someone if you like them, but...I think the idea of being 'worthy' to be with someone is silly." He looked into his bowl of stew. "I was always told that I had to marry someone who was a noble, and I couldn't have lower class friends or even speak to them." He then looked back to Ivan. "Just be yourself, all right? If you do a bunch of stuff because you want to, not because you have to, then I'd like that more."

"Oh...okay then. So you...don't want me hunting things for you? You don't want me to give you something to be proud of, like an antler rack or some pelts?"

"Only if you want to," he said. He didn't like the idea of someone trying to win him over with gifts, it reminded him too much of home. "If... If I end up liking you like that, it won't be because you killed some animal for me."

Ivan had another idea. "Do you want me to dance for you, maybe?" He grinned. "I'm good at dancing. That's not giving you anything!" He stated proudly.

Gilbert chuckled. "Like I said, if you want to."

Ivan smiled and stood up, setting the bowl to the side. He figured Gilbert would find his clan dancing humorous, but in a way, Ivan thought that he needed to laugh. He had to keep Gilbert from viewing him as a monster. So with a clap of his hands, he started to dance- each step resembling a warrior fighting. It was a mating dance, but he didn't want to call it that in case Gilbert found it funny. However, he didn't expect to get his feet tangled up with each other and with a little 'yelp' he came crashing forward onto the ground floor, face flat.

"Ow."

Ivan's plan worked, Gilbert was chuckling softly to himself as the other danced. He'd heard of clans having different dances, he'd read of them and saw illustrations in his books, but seeing it in person was actually quite interesting, even if slightly funny to see. However, when Ivan fell, Gilbert gasped, but he still had a half smile, like he wasn't sure if he should laugh or be worried. He crawled over to Ivan on his hands and knees.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yes...but my pride is hurt." He muttered.

Gilbert watched him for a moment. He felt a little cheerless by Ivan's words. Hesitantly, he reached out and touched Ivan's head, gently ruffling his hair a little.

Ivan lifted his head when he felt Gilbert's hand atop his head. He glanced up at the Elf and saw the look of mild concern on the pale face before realizing what a fool he had made of himself. With another little 'squeak', he pulled his head away to bury his face in his arms. And then, a thought occurred to him. Maybe he could see how far Gilbert would go to make him feel better.

"Hey..." Gilbert groaned a little, then scooted closer. "It wasn't that bad. You shouldn't feel bad about it."

"But I was trying so hard! I've done that dance before! I'm just a big clumsy ox!" He moved to sit on the ground floor.

Gilbert kept himself from chuckling. "No you're not. Maybe you were just nervous dancing in front of me." He smiled at Ivan.

"I didn't feel nervous." He stood up, dusting himself off. "Well, it's getting dark and we should be getting to bed. I want you bright eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow to begin your first bow and arrow lesson!" He grinned happily. "I'll get the bed set up for you, and then I'll finish stringing your bow."

Gilbert smiled brightly as well. "I can't wait, I've always wanted to learn how to use a bow," he said and stood up as well.

Ivan set to covering the feather-stuffed mattress with the furs. He lined the bed with mixed fur and then layered the top with other various blankets of rabbit, wolf, deer and fox. He fluffed the large pillow, making a mental note to have another made for Gilbert. He turned down the furs and pat the bed.

"Here you go, Lord Gilbert."

Gilbert sat on the bed. To his surprise, it was actually quite comfy. Something entered his mind and he looked up at Ivan with a small frown. "Are you still going to tie my legs together?"

Ivan thought for a moment. He couldn't bear to do it.

"No, I won't tie you up. If you try to escape, I'll feel you moving. If you try to leave the house and village, you will get caught. We have warriors taking shifts all night long and patrolling."

Gilbert's frown turned up just slightly. He looked relieved. "Thank you."

"You've stayed with me this long without giving me any reason to distrust you." He pulled the furs up over Gilbert. "I'll join you after I'm done my bow. Remember, it gets very cold here at night so you want to have a warm body to stay with. I'll feed the fire too, so you can stay nice and cozy."

Gilbert's cheeks felt a little warm as he thought of sharing the bed with Ivan. It felt different from the first few times, and didn't really know why. He nodded and cuddled into the bed and furs.

Ivan went over to the fire to feed it more wood before taking the stew pot off of the hook. The fire blazed brightly, lighting up the hut with heat. Ivan took the bow and string to sit in front of the fire so he could see well enough to bring stringing it.

Gilbert turned over so he could watch Ivan work. He had a bit of a fascination for watching the warrior. Even before when he was telling the stories of his weapons, before the meeting with the clan, Gilbert was so interested by it. There was a moment where he wondered why he didn't miss home or feel absolutely terrified of his kidnapper, but he found himself not caring, and only admiring Ivan as the light from the flickering flame lit up his face. After a while, he began to drift to sleep, his eyes slowly closing.

When Ivan was finally finished, he removed his boots, placed them in front of the fire, and went over to the bed. He gazed down upon the sleeping Elf in his bed; soft pink lips slightly parted in sleep, white lashes resting on softly flushed cheeks, and a fist resting calmly against the pillow. Ivan smiled, finding the Elf just too cute! He wanted Gilbert in his bed every night now and would work twice as hard to have the little Elf to wake up to every morning. He would have the most beautiful mate in all of the clan!

Eagerly, he climbed onto the bed to settle under the furs, keeping a few inches between their bodies. He wanted to pull Gilbert close to him but feared the Elf would wake up and become offended. All he could do was stare at the sleeping face.

Gilbert stirred slightly as Ivan got into bed. He woke up but just barely, and slowly peeked out of tired eyes. When he saw Ivan staring at him, he turned a bright shade of red.

Ivan smiled sleepily at him, putting a finger to his lips. "Shhh. Go back to sleep." He whispered.

Gilbert pulled the furs up to his face, hiding his embarrassment and shut his eyes. He quickly fell back asleep, feeling warm and safe.

In the middle of the night, Gilbert began to shift around in his sleep, and small whimpers slipped passed his movements alerted Ivan immediately. When he sat himself up on his arms to look at Gilbert, he saw that the Elf was only having a dream, but by the looks of it, a bad one. Gilbert continued to thrash around, his sounds of distress getting worse.

Ivan gently started to shake him. "Lord Gilbert? Lord Gilbert, wake up!"

Gilbert jolted awake with a startled cry. His mind was still in his nightmare and thought Ivan was attacking him, and he started to pull away, slapping his hands against the other out of instinct and fear . "No! Get away from me!" he yelled.

"Lord Gilbert? It's okay! It's me, Ivan! You were dreaming!" He grabbed Gilbert by the forearms to get him to stop attacking.

The Elf froze up, but his pink eyes were wide with fear. He had never been more relieved to see someone before. Still startled by his dream, he bluntly hugged around Ivan, burying his face into his chest. He was trembling.

Ivan was surprised by the embrace. He felt Gilbert's small form trembling against him, and he slowly hugged him back.

"What happened? What were you dreaming about?"

"Someone in your clan. They...they were hurting me." Gilbert nuzzled his head into Ivan. He felt a bit safer in Ivan's arms, but the image in his mind was still unsettling him.

Ivan held him close, rubbing soothing circles on his back. "No one will harm you when you are with me. No one would dare come into my house for I would wake up and I would kill them."

Gilbert gave a soft groan. His body relaxed in Ivan's arms. "Thanks..." he mumbled quietly.

"I speak the truth, Lord Gilbert. Don't be scared anymore."

Gilbert pulled back a little. "I'll try not to be. Sorry for waking you up, and hitting you, and hugging you like that..."

"No, no, it's all fine, really! I like it." he smiled.

The Elf looked up at him. "You like it...?"

"Yes. I like how you needed me just then, and I was happy to be there for you. And for you hitting me…well…that was like a mouse hitting a bear." He teased.

Gilbert smiled a little. "I've never had someone to hug when I was scared." He scooted a bit closer. "Would you keep hugging me...?"

Ivan's eyes lit up. "Yes! Yes, Lord Gilbert, I will! I'll hold you all night long! I've been so lonely that I would enjoy having another beside me."

Gilbert simply hugged around him again. "Don't ever lose," he whispered against Ivan's chest.

"Never. I swear this to you."

He settled down on the bed with Gilbert, ushering the Elf to turn around so they could spoon. With the furs in hand, Ivan made sure that Gilbert was wrapped and tucked tightly beneath them while he laid his arm over the blankets. With a happy, content sigh, he buried his nose in Gilbert's soft hair.

Gilbert turned over easily. He was a little too shaken up by his dream to be embarrassed or nervous about the position, as he needed Ivan to comfort him. He found it quite comforting, actually, to have someone near him. He had never allowed someone so close before. The feeling of Ivan's nose in his hair, behind a pointed ear, made him shiver lightly, and he cuddled into the furs, pushing back against Ivan as if to move closer to him.

"Sleep now, Lord Gilbert. I will shield you all night and every day."

Gilbert closed his eyes, smiling a little as he felt safe and warm. He fell asleep within minutes.

This is what he had often dreamed of, having someone sleeping beside him that wasn't one of his sisters. This was an actual warm body laying beside him, in his bed, curled up against him as a lover would. Gilbert was perfect for him, he decided. He wanted this Elf in his bed for this night and every night after that until the end of their days. He never wanted to let Gilbert go.

This time Gilbert slept soundly with not one nightmare in sight. He didn't know it, but being held and protected made even his subconscious feel safe. It was something he'd never had. He always slept in a big bed alone in a large room, and now to share one with another, and trusting the other, it was something Gilbert really liked as well.

Ivan was the first to wake up, pleased to find that Gilbert was still asleep in his arms. The sun was almost up, and it was time to begin the day. Ivan had an idea. Slowly, he slipped from the bed and went to his trunk, reaching down to the very bottom where he found his big sister's flute. Their father had carved it for all of them, but it was his big sister who had the talent for making music. Ivan knew one or two little songs, but nothing more than that. He thought it would be a great way to awaken Gilbert.

Going back over to the bed, he put the flute to his lips and started to play a soft, lyrical, gentle melody that seemed to lure the sun out of hiding as well as waken Gilbert.

As the music filled his ears, Gilbert slowly woke up. He gave a little grunt before realizing that Ivan was playing a flute in front of him. Tiredly, he rubbed his eye and sat up smiling.

"Good morning," he said with a yawn.

Ivan ceased the music. "Good morning. The sun is just coming up. We should eat and then be on our way to practice with your new bow!"

Gilbert smiled happily. "I can't wait, it's going to be great!" He beamed. He hung his legs off the side of the bed, smiling at Ivan.

"Did you like my music, Lord Gilbert? I'm not very good...but I thought you would find it nice."

"I did," Gilbert said with a nod. "I love music actually. It's the one thing I enjoyed back home. I actually play the flute. My mother taught me when I was young." He smiled.

Ivan smiled back and held the flute out to him. "Is your flute like this one? My father made this for the family. You can play it, if you want?"

"Mine was made entirely of silver," he said and took the flute. He couldn't resist playing it, he loved playing the flute. He put it to his lips, and started to play a beautiful little tune.

Ivan's eyes sparkled. "You play like my big sister! Oh please, don't stop! Keep playing while I warm up the stew!"

Gilbert smiled as he continued to play several songs that he'd learned over the years. He was happy that Ivan wanted him to play. Everyone expected him to be good at playing an instrument, so he never got any real praise, but he still loved playing.

The music helped to warm the soup faster, or so Ivan liked to think. He poured the rest of the stew into two bowls for them. "Time for breakfast."

Gilbert placed the flute down and slid off the bed, then joined Ivan.

They finished up the rest of the soup and then dressed for the chilly morning, and Gilbert in lots of furs. He handed him the bow.

"Are you ready?"

Gilbert gripped the bow in his hands, then nodded. "You're sure your clan won't have a problem with this?"

"They will have no choice. You belong to me, and I can do whatever I want with you. Don't be afraid. I'm here for you."

"Thanks. I guess I'm just a little on edge after last night." He forced a smile.

"And you have every right to be. I know my world is a little scary and strange to you. But after today, you will be sending arrows soaring through the sky!"

Gilbert's smile turned a bit more relaxed. "Do you really think I'll be able to shoot a bow well?" he asked

"I have faith in you, Lord Gilbert. And you need to have faith in yourself or else you won't be able to wield a bow properly. So do you have faith in yourself?"

"I do," the Elf spoke quickly. "It's just... I've never really used a weapon before. I was taught to play flute, paint, and have elegant handwriting. The first time I pointed my dagger at someone was at you. I'm a little worried I won't be any good."

"It takes a lot of practice. Now follow me."

Ivan took him into the woods where there was a large clearing with targets on slates of wood. He brought along his own bow too. Now began the training.

"Here, try to stand like me." He posed the right way with the bow pulled back.

Gilbert looked at Ivan's stance, then mimicked him as best he good. "Like this?"

"Yes, but pull your arm back a little more." Ivan helped him. "There, now you have the stance. Hold that for as long as you can."

Gilbert gave a small nod. He pulled his arm back more, keeping his back stiff as he held it there. It was a lot harder to pull back the string of a bow for an extended amount of time, but he was determined to learn so he forced himself to keep holding.

When Ivan saw Gilbert's limbs shaking, he told him to lower the bow. "No need to strain yourself too much, Lord Gilbert. Your muscles still need time to build themselves up."

Gilbert released his pull. "But doesn't straining them work better? Like, pushing your body passed its limits?"

"Yes, but only when your muscles have first become used to using a bow. If you do too much at first, you can hurt yourself. You can hurt yourself so bad that you could lose all use of your arm, wrist or hand."

"I don't want that," Gilbert said, making a face. "So then...what do I do?"

"Let's use an arrow now." He got one from his quiver and helped Gilbert position it properly. "Now, hold the back just like that and pull the string all the way back. Try to keep the bow straight. And then let go."

Doing as told, Gilbert pulled back the arrow as his arms shook lightly. He let the arrow go, but it didn't go far and simply hit the ground a few feet in front of them.

"Okay, that's a good start." Ivan pulled it out of the ground. "Let me move a target closer." He moved one much closer to Gilbert, lining it up perfectly so that it would be hard to miss. "There."

Gilbert restarted, pulling the string and arrow back again. He held his arm stiff, and then released it. The arrow stuck into the target, but missed the bulls-eye.

"Wow! Great job, Lord Gilbert! You hit the target!"

Gilbert couldn't help but feel a little proud, even if his shot wasn't the greatest. He looked to Ivan. "Thanks. I want to try again!" He ran to the target and pulled the arrow out himself, then went back to Ivan with a happy smile on his face.

"Here, watch me." Ivan nocked his arrow, aimed, and fired, hitting the target head on. "Soon you will just as good as me, if not better! Bow and arrow are not my weapon of choice."

"Are your fists your weapon of choice?" Gilbert joked lightly as he loaded his own arrow.

"It's a little scary, but..." He pulled back his arrow. "I do feel safer knowing that you don't need a weapon." He released the arrow, and it hit a little closer to the middle of the target this time.

"Look at you! You're catching on quick! Try a few more, and then we will do a few arm and wrist exercises."

"That's enough for today. You did very well and I'm very pleased." He smiled.

Gilbert smiled back, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride and satisfaction. "I guess it wasn't bad for my first day. I'm going to be sore tomorrow though." He chuckled a little. He felt very happy that Ivan was pleased with him. It was strange to actually make someone else proud, but he liked the feeling.

"Yes, so we won't practice tomorrow. We'll give you time to rest up and I'll show you around the village instead. Maybe will have time for something else, too."

Gilbert pouted a little. He was already hooked on shooting a bow and he didn't want to stop, but he knew it was a good idea to take a break.

"I'd like to see more of your village," he said. "As long as no one tries anything. I don't want you having to kill someone everyday."

"We can't hide inside all our lives." Ivan chuckled. "I promise to be as calm as I can if something happens."

"Hopefully we'll be okay. I don't know if I can take everyday of this violence..."

That worried Ivan. He looked at Gilbert with a soft expression. "We don't view it as violence, really. It's just our way of life...but like I said, I promise to keep everything as calm as possible."

The Elf forced a smile. "I'll try to get used to it." He didn't understand how it was normal to fight among one's own clan members over such a thing, but he had to remember that he was in a different world, so he tried to see it through Ivan's eyes. It was extremely hard, though.

"No...but I'm less scared than I was when you first brought me here." He smiled a little. "It's not so much the place, just the idea of being hurt by multiple people."

"I'm glad you're feeling a bit more comfortable." He smiled softly. "Let's go pick up something nice for dinner. Then maybe tomorrow, after a tour, if we have time, I'll show you how we go fishing."

Gilbert smiled more and nodded, then held his bow and arrow at his side as he followed Ivan.

Back at the village, they returned to the meat vender and this time Ivan ordered them two rabbits, one for him and one for Gilbert. Ivan chose to carry the rabbits but had an idea. He held the rabbit out to Gilbert.

"Why don't you try and carry it? If you're going to want to hunt, you have to get used to carrying dead animals. Your Elven people hunt animals all the time, but all you see is just the prepared clean meat on a plate."

Gilbert cringed a little as the rabbit was handed to him, but he knew that Ivan was right. He took the rabbit from Ivan carefully, as if he would hurt a dead animal. Its body was long, much longer than he thought a rabbit's body was. He pictured a live one huddled on the ground nibbling grass, a small bundle of furry fluff. To think that this red, white and pink hanging piece of meat was once a furry little animal.

"Don't be so gentle, Lord Gilbert." Ivan couldn't resist chuckling. "It's already dead. Remember, we are all part of a life cycle. Animals eat us and we eat animals. There's no harm or shame in it. Every creature wants to survive, right? We all need to eat to live."

"I guess... I've just never held a dead animal before..." He changed how he held the rabbit, holding less like a delicate flower. "It's just something I have to get used to." 'And something I never even gave much thought to.' He added mentally.

"When you hunt your first animal, you may feel badly at first, but you should be proud as well. If you were ever stuck in the woods all alone, you wouldn't live long at all. You would die. Soon you will learn how to care for yourself should something happen to you. Pampered prince." He couldn't help but say the last part with a laugh.

Gilbert pouted and raised a brow at Ivan's laugh. "Don't mock me. I'm doing better than most 'pampered princes' would." He knew that Ivan was just teasing him.

"Ah, but I haven't met many pampered princes. I'm only going by what I see with you." He giggled behind his scarf.

Gilbert boldly pulled Ivan's scarf down a little to see his giggling face. "I'm not THAT pampered!" He looked a bit embarrassed by Ivan's teasing as a little tint of pink colored his cheeks.

Ivan grinned. "Can I do something? I want to test you. Are you brave enough to let me do this tiny little thing?"

That violet eye twinkled with childish mischief that had Gilbert feeling a little suspicious of what 'thing' the warrior wanted him to do. He loosened his fingers from the scarf, looking intrigued. "What is it...?"

Ivan carefully laid the rabbit on the ground beside his feet. He reached down, picked up some wet dirt in his palms, and smudged it over Gilbert's cheeks. "Can you deal with that mud on your face for any length of time?" He grinned childishly.

The Elf gasped as he felt the cold smear on his face. He looked shocked and appalled for a moment, as if he'd just been slapped. After a second, he let out a heavy breath, then gave a small glare to Ivan. He wasn't bothered by the mud, aside from some small irritation and itchiness.

"Are you pleased?" he asked, poking the mud with a finger, then pouted playfully. "I'm all dirty now."

"Lord Gilbert, you still look pretty even when you're covered in mud." Ivan said honestly, and then blushed behind his scarf when he realized what he said. That was way too bold of him to say. He felt stupid and silly and thought, what would Gilbert think of him?

When Gilbert heard what Ivan said, he lost his pout and his eyes widened in surprise. It made him blush and feel a bit nervous in his stomach. He knew he was pretty, and he knew that most people thought he was too, but the way Ivan spoke was so genuine and sweet. To hear such words from an uneducated, primitive and backwards warrior was more believable than all of the noble Elves back home. He just didn't know what to truly make of Ivan's words.

**End Chapter 4 TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

***Thanks for all the support everyone! Hope everyone had a great holiday and will have an equally happy new year! ^_^ Please Read and Review! Thanks so much!

***Warnings: Language, fluff, slight yaoi

***Disclaimer: We do not own Hetalia. We are making no money off of this fic.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

Ivan didn't know what to say when he saw Gilbert's reaction so he cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject.

"Um...let me teach you how to cook. Let's head back."

"All right," Gilbert mumbled. He didn't like that Ivan changed the subject. He wanted to talk about it more, even if he didn't know what to say. Instead, it was Ivan who returned back to the subject.

"I made you uncomfortable again. I'm sorry."

Gilbert shook his head weakly. "I'm not uncomfortable. I just don't like when you change the subject like that."

"Oh...I...I only did that because...I thought you were uncomfortable. But...I'm guessing you're not? Truly?"

Gilbert smiled a little. "No. It doesn't bother me that you think I'm pretty, and, actually...when you get all embarrassed, I think it's cute."

He blushed softly. "So...you weren't bothered by what I just said? About you and mud?" It was bold of him to say such a statement, and it bothered him that recently these words of endearment kept pooling from his mouth without a hint of warning from his brain.

"No," he couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm more offended that you didn't think I could handle some dirt."

"I also think you're lying about the mud." He pouted. "I saw your face when I first put it on. It bothered you." He teased.

Gilbert narrowed his eyes a bit. "Only a little. I haven't wiped it off yet, have I?"

"Wait until it fully dries and starts to crack on your skin." He smirked. "Let's see how tough you are then!"

"It's more logical to just wash it off." He crossed his arms. "But fine, I'll leave it until it dries."

They made it back to the hut and Ivan got a new fire going in the hearth. He kept his eye on Gilbert and the mud on the Elf's face as he positioned the rabbits on the roasting sticks.

The mud was starting to itch and left an earthy scent lingering. It didn't disgust him but rather just irritated him. He began to lightly pick at the mud, then looked at his fingernails. Seeing the mud underneath his perfect nails made him realize how out of place he looked in Ivan's world. He was like a doll, being pampered and groomed all his life.

"That mud getting itchy?" Ivan teased from his place at the hearth, setting the rabbits up to cook.

"Of course it is. That's what mud does," he retorted. "How long is this test of yours going to last?"

"Until you can't take it any more." He wiggled his broad shoulders proudly, enjoying this little game.

Gilbert rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine."

"See? This proves my point." Ivan giggled. "Take it off whenever you're ready. It clearly bothers you, being dirty."

The Elf groaned, but he didn't want to give in just yet. It may be irritating, but he had to prove that he could handle a little bit of mud. There was nothing terrible about the mud on his face. He just kept telling himself that giving in wasn't an option and to keep thinking, or rather, pretending that there was no mud on his face.

"Suit yourself!" Ivan chuckled, poking at the fire. They stayed in silence for quite awhile, listening to the crackling fire, when Ivan suddenly asked, "Have you ever had snowshoe hare before, Lord Gilbert? It's an entirely different rabbit than the ones that run around by your woods. I'm not sure just what types of wild animals you Elves eat. I know that ours will taste different to you."

"I haven't," Gilbert answered. "We mostly eat deer that populate the forests. There are some farmers in town who raise livestock, just like anywhere else, and we also eat a lot of fish from the lakes and rivers."

"Ah, then I must introduce you to the many fine meats of our woods." He took one stick off of the fire, the meat charred and steaming. He blew on it a few times before bringing it over to give to Gilbert. "Now hold it only by the stick, give it a few minutes to cool, and then bite into it! Roasted rabbit never fails to fill the belly!"

Gilbert wrapped his fingers around the stick. He tried not to let it show that he was a little off-put by how he was supposed to eat the meat, gave it a minute to cool off, and then gave a small bite.

"If biting into it really bothers you, then just pick off pieces with your fingers."

Gilbert looked at Ivan for a moment, then did so. Picking the pieces off with his fingers was a little better, but still not his ideal way of eating a meal. He figured it was just something he had to get used to. Gilbert could assume that Ivan's people never used eating utensils like forks or spoons, for he hadn't seen any around at all. It was clear they all simply ate with their hands, choosing to use knives as weapons of killing instead of cutting cooked meat.

"How do you like it?" He asked, taking a bite of his own rabbit.

"It's not bad," Gilbert said as he pulled a small piece of meat from the stick. "I'm not used to eating like this."

"But isn't it more fun to eat it this way?" Ivan smiled, taking another bite.

"It's...interesting. Messier." He made a slightly scrunched face as he chewed.

Ivan grinned. "Pampered prince."

The Elf glared at Ivan. He was getting slightly annoyed by the nickname Ivan seemed to give him. "Stop calling me that." He took an actual bite of the rabbit.

Ivan was hurt by the words and knew he had gone too far with it. He felt ashamed and angry that he had annoyed Gilbert. "I'm sorry, Lord Gilbert. I won't call you that again." He said, his voice a little harsh. What was he thinking by calling Gilbert that? Once or twice should have been enough, but he kept on going. It was something his father and mother used to say about him, that he never knew when to quit. He couldn't bear to look at Gilbert so he turned around, giving the Elf his back, feeling saddened and ashamed.

Gilbert froze up when he heard the tone of Ivan's voice. He looked away from his food and to Ivan. "I... I was only kidding," he spoke quietly. He couldn't deny that Ivan's tone was a little frightening. He'd seen first hand what Ivan can do when angry or provoked. "You're always teasing me by calling me that, but...sometimes it feels like you actually believe I'm nothing but some spoiled brat." He hunched down, retracting into himself.

"I really was just teasing...but I know that I can sometimes get carried away and I hate myself for it. I'm sorry, Lord Gilbert. You're not a spoiled brat. Just sheltered." He glanced over his shoulder at Gilbert.

The Elf watched the other for a moment, and then slowly scooted over to him. "Don't hate yourself... I...I actually like that you tease and mess with me like that. It makes me feel like we're friends."

"But you said you didn't want to be called that anymore. That means my teasing went too far."

"Only if you really think I'm like that."

"You just...don't know the way of the world for my kind. We're so different. Sometimes I think we're too different." He looked bashful. "You're doing so much for me...trying to learn my lifestyle, and I don't know anything really about yours. Not that the Elves would welcome me into your pretty lands."

"Hey," Gilbert spoke and tilted his head to look at Ivan's face. "We're not that different. Sure we live in different places and our lifestyles are totally different, but we still both bleed red, and we're both made up of bones. Yours are just larger." He chuckled a little. "Maybe one day you can visit my homeland. I'd make sure the Elves treat you well."

Ivan looked at him sadly. "They don't even treat you well...so they wouldn't want to treat me with any kindness."

Gilbert's smile disappeared. The truth in Ivan's words hit him hard. "I suppose you're right... But if I were welcomed back into my kingdom, I could order everyone to be nice to you, and I could punish those who are mean to you. I'd be protecting you then, just like how you are protecting me now."

"But you are not your father. Your father still rules...and he would make me a slave...or worse." Ivan shifted his eyes away.

"Not if I tell him that you were the brave man who saved me from my kidnapper. He'd probably even reward you." Gilbert forced a laugh. Part of him was joking, but another small part of him wondered if it would actually work.

Ivan looked at his charred rabbit. "I have no chance of being accepted by the Elves. You have a better chance being accepted here, because we go by strength and honor, not by rank or title. I'm...too...well...too 'barbaric' and 'ugly' to be around the Elves. I have only one eye...and this blind eye looks scary. I have marks all over my body." He poked his nose. "And I have a big nose."

Gilbert growled a little under his breath. He knelt in front of Ivan, then bluntly, and not too gently, grabbed his face in his palms. "You're not ugly or scary. I'm an Elf and you're around me, and have I judged you for how you look?" He asked with some fire in his voice.

Ivan's face blushed when Gilbert's soft hands cupped his cheeks. "I...I understand, Lord Gilbert. You are a truly different Elf. You are special and kind and nice. The other Elves I've met and known...they are cruel and mean. Not like you at all. But you are just one special flower surrounded by weeds."

He understood Ivan's metaphor. "I know..." Gilbert's eyes were sad as he glanced down at Ivan's bare neck. Still, he didn't let go of the man's cheeks. "I won't ever hurt you like they did. I promise."

Ivan smiled softly. "I know that, Lord Gilbert. But...on the strange side...if I would allow anyone to hurt me, purposefully, it would be you. Don't ask me why...it's strange...but I'm a little...you know...strange." he said bashfully with a crooked smile. There he goes again, spewing nonsense words.

Gilbert looked a little shocked and he finally let go of Ivan's face. For some reason, he blushed softly. The way Ivan was speaking was strangely cute. "I don't understand you..." he spoke quietly.

"Sometimes I don't understand me." He went back to eating his rabbit. "Just forget what I said. We have another big day tomorrow! I'm teaching you how to fish, remember?"

Gilbert sighed and picked his rabbit back up and nibbled on it. He didn't like how Ivan always ran from talking about things. He wanted to understand and get to know Ivan better, and being told to forget something he said just made him feel upset.

The next morning, they were up early once again. Ivan quickly made them breakfast of simple eggs (and washing the mud off his face) before taking Gilbert out of the village and to a very large fishing hole near a small waterfall. The area was wide open, like a meadow, with many flowers and tiny hills. In the distance there were roaming mountains and the sky above was crisp and blue.

Gilbert walked beside Ivan, gawking at the surroundings. His own home was very beautiful, but Ivan's home was also very pretty, once they stepped out of the village and into nature.

"This place is nice. You have a lot of beauty here." He smiled and looked up at the passing white clouds above.

"We do. I think you will like this spot. This is the best fishing hole in our land! It has some of the fattest, tastiest fish anywhere! I can help you catch a big one, and then we can take it to the fisherman, and I'll let you give him the fish. If my people start seeing you doing things like me, I know they will slowly come to respect you." He gave Gilbert a big, childish grin.

Gilbert smiled happily. "That'd be great. I want to catch one on my own!"

"Well, you'll find that fishing is tricky. Here, watch me." He stood on the edge and tossed the line into the water with the chestnut sinker bobbing in the water. "We also need silence and patience for this. When we see the chestnut go under water, that means a fish has taken the bait. I already had some night crawlers on the hook. Now we just wait, and when it snags, then begins the battle."

Gilbert watched the chestnut eagerly, waiting for it to move. He never remembered being so excited for anything back home before. Everything Ivan was teaching him were things he'd wanted to learn, and even if he had to wait in silence, every second was more thrilling than a week of painting or reading some boring book.

Finally, the chestnut bobbed under water. Ivan started to pull the rod and line, beginning the epic battle. He tugged, loosened, pulled, tugged, loosened, until the fish gave up the fight. Ivan lifted the line from the water with a large red fish on the end of it.

"Perfect! A red sunfish. It's a very common fish but they come in all different sizes."

Gilbert's eyes sparkled with excitement when Ivan started to reel the fish in, and gave a proud clap when he saw the fish. "Is it a good one to eat? Do they taste good?" he asked while staring at the fat, flapping fish dangling on the hook.

"Yes, they are very good! This one we will keep for us. Now, why don't you give it a try?" He handed over the rod.

Gilbert nodded and then took the rod from Ivan. He whipped the line out and watched the chestnut bob in the water. "Was that good?"

"Yes, now we just wait. Sometimes it can take a really long time, and it does get boring, but patience is always rewarded, yes?"

Gilbert smiled a little. "Yeah," he said and then looked back at the water. "It's so peaceful out here..." he mumbled to himself.

Ivan heard him. "I know. It's a nice place to come if you want some peace and quiet."

"Do you come here often?" he asked, glancing to Ivan.

"Not recently. I used to come here a lot when I was bored of the village. When I was little, my sisters and I used to watch the clouds pass by and try to guess what shapes they are."

Gilbert smiled a little. "That sounds nice... Maybe we could do that one day." He felt something tug on the rod and he gave it a little yank before starting to pull the fish in.

"Don't pull too hard!" Ivan instructed. "You have to give a little slack, and then pull, and keep repeating that pattern!"

Gilbert did as best as he could. He'd never fished before so it was all new to him, and left some slack in the line before he pulled again.

But the line suddenly became very loose and Gilbert went falling backwards at the force. The fish had gotten away.

"Ah, nice first try, Lord Gilbert." Ivan said with a smile. "No one actually catches a fish on their first try."

Gilbert grimaced in irritation, sitting on the ground where he'd fallen. It was shameful and a little embarrassing to be outsmarted by a fish.

Ivan chuckled, noticing the angry look on Gilbert's face and knowing exactly what it meant. "When I was a little boy learning how to fish, it took me almost a full moon cycle to actually catch my first fish. One time, I hooked a big one, and it pulled me right into the water! Head first!"

Gilbert glanced up at Ivan. He appreciated Ivan telling him the story because it made him smile, and it let him know that it was okay to fail sometimes. "I bet it was hilarious."

"It was. My father laughed for days over it. But don't feel bad about it, Lord Gilbert. Please, try again."

Gilbert thought about it for a moment, giving a few seconds to let his shame fade, and then stood back up. After gathering up the pole he whipped it back out into the water.

This time, however, no fish bit at the hook and they were waiting for too long. Ivan ended up dozing off, much to Gilbert's annoyance. He lay on his back, arms behind his head, snoring softly.

When Gilbert heard the first snore, he could have sworn that his eye twitched. He turned his head to look at the larger male sleeping on the ground. Gilbert was a little insulted by it. He stepped a bit closer and nudged Ivan's leg with his foot.

"Hey," he said and then nudged him again. 'I can't believe he fell asleep on me...' he thought, pouting slightly to himself.

Gilbert heard a sound from behind him. Slowly, he turned around to see what it was and there, in the distance was a large stag, nibbling on some meadow grass. Surrounding him were four or five does and a couple of fawns.

His eyes widened in shock. He'd never been so close to animals before, and he was a bit in awe of them.

"Ivan," he whispered and nudged the man's leg again, then a little harder. "Ivan, wake up."

Ivan stirred, giving a little yawn and sitting up, rubbing the back of his head. "What is it?"

Gilbert knelt down to the ground beside him and spoke quietly, "There are some animals over there." He kept his eyes on them, smiling like he was watching something amazing.

Ivan turned and looked at the herd of deer. "Yes, they are quite pretty, aren't they?" he pointed to each one. "Dinner. Dinner. Dinner. Dinner." He stopped and giggled.

Gilbert lightly slapped Ivan's shoulder to show disapproval. "No!" he said in a hushed whisper as to not scare the deer. "We already have fish and other things to eat. I don't want to hurt them."

Ivan just smiled at him. "Lord Gilbert...do you see that large stag in the center? The one with the VERY big antlers? Do you know what will happen if he sees us?"

"I don't know." Gilbert looked to the animal. "Will he attack us? I don't know how these animals work."

The stag noticed them. His ears twitched. He turned towards them and lowered his head.

"Uh oh." Ivan smirked.

The stag stomped his hoof and snorted.

"He found us." Ivan said calmly.

Gilbert grabbed Ivan's shoulder. "You're the one who said you're part of the animals' world or something, right? What do we do?"

"Well, I can wrestle him, or we could run."

"Will he chase us if we run?"

"Oh yes. Question is, do you think you can outrun him?"

"... Probably not."

Ivan grinned. "Then I will wrestle him! This will impress you!"

Gilbert sighed. "All right, fine. Just be careful."

Ivan stalked his way over to the stag, showing no fear or hesitation. The stag made no movements, only stomped its front hooves and continued to snort at Ivan. But as Ivan got closer, the stag took a frantic step back, giving out a short bellow. Ivan could tell the stag was frightened by his presence and could sense who the stronger animal was.

The stag gave another bellow and swiftly turned away, running back to his herd that all followed after him, white tails raised, to disappear into the woods.

Ivan let out a great laugh. "Deer are such terrified animals!" he said and turned back to Gilbert. "I didn't even have to lift a finger!"

Gilbert was surprised, but he had a tiny feeling that Ivan was teasing him for his lack of knowledge of animals. Instead, he ignored that thought.

"I'm very impressed," he teased softly, grinning a little.

"Really?" Ivan wanted to clap his hands happily. Gilbert was impressed! "That stag was, believe it or not, a young one. An older stag would have still charged at me."

Ivan stopped for a moment to gaze at Gilbert, noticing how enchanting he looked with the waterfall behind him and the meadow grounds surrounding him. It was a stunning image, one he knew that he would never forget in all his days. He wanted to freeze the image in his mind.

Gilbert chuckled. "Well then you can wrestle its daddy then," he said. After a second, he noticed Ivan staring. "What's wrong? You look like you just saw a ghost."

"No, not a ghost. Just you." He replied softly, now feeling silly for how he was staring. "Sorry, Lord Gilbert, but you just looked so pretty right now."

Gilbert blushed lightly, eyes widening slightly. Glancing away out of embarrassment, he mumbled a quiet, "Thank you." He was used to being called pretty, but Ivan's words were so different, and he was beginning to like how it felt.

Ivan noticed some purple flowers blooming nearby. He moved to pull them all, brought up the roots with the dirt still caked around them, and thrust them into Gilbert's arm. "FOR YOU!"

The Elf stood there, just feeling the flowers against his arm. Carefully he wrapped his fingers around the stems, then brushed his fingers against the dirt to clean it off. He smiled sweetly at Ivan. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He glanced to the side and blushed, fearing the answer to his next question. "Lord Gilbert...can I kiss you?" The urge to pull the Elf into his arms and kiss him without waiting for an answer was difficult to control. He hoped Gilbert would say 'yes'.

The question stunned Gilbert. No one had ever asked to kiss him before, he'd never even been kissed, and he suddenly blushed dark and stared at Ivan, not being able to speak for a moment. "Um...uh, y-yeah, sure..." He wasn't sure why he said yes, but it was his first response.

Ivan wasn't quite sure how to kiss for it wasn't something his clan often did with their mates. He figured Gilbert would know more about kissing than him, so he would have to depend on the Elf to guide him as well. Stepping closer, he moved in to kiss but neither tilted their head and their noses bumped.

Gilbert blinked a few times in confusion, just staring at Ivan. It was cute how Ivan touched their noses, but Gilbert was unaware that Ivan didn't know what he was doing either. "Um...?" he spoke after a moment.

"Sorry." He blushed too. "Um...let's try again. I have to say...I'm not used to kissing. I figured you Elves do more of that stuff."

"We do... Just not me." Gilbert shifted his eyes away, finding his lack of experience a bit shameful and embarrassing.

"Oh...so you don't know how to kiss much either. That makes me feel better!" Ivan said happily. "Let's try again." This time, he tilted his head and let his lips press against Gilbert's soft ones. The Elf's lips were smooth against his own and a thrill of delight and pleasure raced down his spine to his belly, making it flutter.

Gilbert felt himself stiffen as their lips touched. It felt weirder to kiss than he imagined it to, but weird in a way that made his heart skip a beat. Feeling timid, he didn't offer much back, but tilted his head just slightly into the kiss. He felt the same feeling in his stomach as Ivan did and it made his eyes slide shut.

Ivan was pleased when Gilbert didn't pull away. The kiss was short, and when their lips parted, Ivan felt himself blushing and was unable to meet Gilbert's gaze. "Was that...fine?"

Gilbert gave a silent nod, feeling like he couldn't speak yet. His lips felt like they were tingling. When he saw Ivan not looking at him, he touched his arm. "It was fine," he said.

"It was good for you, then?" Ivan needed to be sure Gilbert was telling him the truth. "You wouldn't lie to me, right?" He asked sadly.

Gilbert was a little hurt that Ivan thought he was lying. "Yes, it was good. I mean... I don't have anything to compare it to, but I thought it was good..." He blushed a little, feeling that shame again for not having experience.

"Um... Can I... Can I kiss you again?"

Gilbert paused for a moment, then gave a shy nod.

Ivan pressed their lips together again, this time he pressed harder and, making a bold move, pulled Gilbert towards him in an embrace.

Gilbert got that strange feeling in his belly again but he didn't pull away. His fingers lightly gripped Ivan's arms, like he needed something to support himself.

Ivan had to pull away to catch his breath but he didn't loosen his hold on Gilbert. "Was that one better?"

Gilbert gave a few soft pants before nodding. "Yeah...that was better." He didn't mind that Ivan was holding him close, it actually made him feel more comfortable.

He continued to hold Gilbert to him, not wanting to let go. The Elf felt perfect in his arms, like he was made to hold him forever. Gilbert was starting to open up to him in the ways of mating and Ivan knew now, that with this kiss, he had a sure chance of winning the Elf. Excited and pleased with himself, he squeezed Gilbert tightly in a bear hug.

Gilbert made a soft noise as he was squeezed. The hug was warm, which felt nice in the chilly air, though it was a little difficult to breathe. For a brief moment he thought he might be crazy for letting Ivan kiss him, and for liking it too. He didn't think about it too much, though, and just enjoyed himself as he rested his head against Ivan's chest.

"I'm going to win you." Ivan whispered in Gilbert's ear. "I've made up my mind."

Gilbert's cheeks turned red upon hearing Ivan's words. He didn't say anything, but only buried his face more into the other.

"It's getting dark." He said after some time of silence and noticed a drop in temperature when he pulled away from Gilbert. "Wait..." he sniffed the air and looked behind Gilbert to the far open field. "There's a storm coming." He pointed to the dark circling clouds. "It will be here by late evening. Come, we have to go back and get the hut prepared!"

Gilbert looked at the sky. He'd never seen dark clouds like it before. He looked at Ivan and nodded, then followed him.

They took the fish they had caught and hurried back to the village. Ivan wasn't the only one who sensed the storm coming for when they got back, others were preparing for it as well. Ivan instructed Gilbert to start bringing in everything he owned from outside, such as pots and wood to keep them dry. Ivan set to tying down what he could of the roof.

Gilbert lifted several of the pots and slabs of wood and brought them inside the hut. "Is this going to be a bad storm?" he asked, sounding a little worried.

"Yes, although it won't be as bad as they can get. There will be lots of rain and wind. I should get you better boots. The ground will get a bit soggy in here. The best thing to do is keep the fire burning hot and stay in bed, nice and warm. I can play the flute for you, or we could tell stories." he smiled softly. "Sometimes a storm can even be very comforting when you're not alone."

Gilbert smiled nervously. "I've never really seen a big storm. Where I'm from it hardly even rains..."

"Magic Elves." Ivan said under his breath. "Let's get this fish cooked up and eaten before the storm comes."

Once dinner was over, Ivan brought Gilbert to the entrance so he could see how the weather was changing. The wind was blowing quickly and loudly with the area growing very dark.

"The rain will come soon. Get into bed while I tie down the flap."

Gilbert stared up at the sky again. He'd never seen the wind blow so hard either, it was so strange to him. After a moment of just feeling the cool breeze, which seemed to make his hair stand on end, he went over and climbed into bed.

With the flap tied down tight, Ivan threw more logs on the fire to keep it blazing bright just as the first rumble of thunder began.

Looking up at the ceiling of the hut, Gilbert listened to the thunder. "Wow..." he mumbled, thinking how amazing the thunder sounded.

"Are you scared, Lord Gilbert?" Ivan asked him while getting into bed beside him.

"What? No I'm not scared," he said, though his voice couldn't hide a little waver of fear. He wasn't too scared of it, but he thought it sounded both frightening and thrilling.

"Good, because there's no reason to be afraid. We are safe here in my hut." He pulled the furs up over them and cuddled Gilbert close to him. The storm started to rage wildly outside, the wind whistling fiercely and the lightening opening up the sky. "When I was a little boy, I was scared of thunderstorms." He told Gilbert. "I would hide under the blankets with my mother."

Even if Ivan said that there was nothing to fear, Gilbert still kept close to Ivan because he was a little uneasy. He didn't fully believe that the hut could withstand the storm. "I can't imagine you being scared of anything," he commented as he listened to the wind.

"As a child you have many fears, but you learn to conquer them. Most young warriors like me had their fears beaten out of them. But my father was better than that. He talked me through my fears so I can understand why I didn't need to fear them. And my mother used to sing to me."

Gilbert smiled a little. "I never feared anything. Being sheltered in a big castle with tons of guards will make you think you're untouchable." He paused. "Although... When I was little, I used to be scared of my own guards."

"Why? Were they mean to you?'

"A little, I guess. They'd stare at me weirdly, and sometimes I would hear them talk about me. They thought I was weird because I look a little different. As a kid, having all these giant shiny people watching me was intimidating."

"Look at you weirdly? Is it because of your pink eyes?"

Gilbert nodded. "I'm paler than other Elves too, and have white hair. It's rare, apparently."

"It's beautiful though. You are like those albino animals, who are born all white with pink eyes."

"That's what a doctor once called me. Albino." He then leaned his head against Ivan a little, liking how Ivan said it was beautiful, and smiled slightly.

A loud crash of lightning startled them, but Gilbert more than Ivan. Ivan stroked his back. "The big part of the storm is coming now."

Gilbert hated that he was scared of the storm, but it didn't stop him from accepting the comfort that Ivan was giving him. He moved closer to Ivan, pressing his body into him and even holding onto him with one hand. "Tell me when it's over," he grumbled in irritation, trying to hide his fear of the storm behind annoyance.

"You'll know when it's over when it gets quiet." Ivan continued to hold him. "Here it comes."

The storm only got louder and even the ground started to rumble. The walls shook as well.

Gilbert clung to Ivan, not caring that he was squeezing him. He was more frightened of the hut collapsing than the actual storm itself now.

"I've been through many storms, Lord Gilbert. I know we will be fine. This hut has seen many, many storms. Try to go to sleep." Another loud crack of lightening. "or not."

Gilbert turned on his side and nuzzled into Ivan. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the loud noises, but he couldn't help but jolt a little whenever he heard the thunder.

"Would you like to hear a story?" Ivan suggested. "About when I was little and lost in one of the storms?"

Gilbert perked up. "Okay," he gave a nod, sitting up a little.

"A few days after my mother died, I went out on a long walk to come to reason with my grief. I stayed away for a few days in the woods, just walking around, thinking of her, picking flowers, simple little things like that. But then I lost my way. I traveled so far that I could not find my way back. I didn't know how to track very well then, and a great storm was coming. I could see and hear it. When it came, the rain was so heavy and so dark, I couldn't see. And it was cold. I remember shivering as I walked through the wet earth, trying to find shelter. Then, I gave up. I just fell to the wet earth, waiting to be washed away, when something strange happened."

Gilbert sat up more, looking interested. "What? What happened?" he asked eagerly.

"Well...I never told anyone this story, not even my sisters. But I heard singing. My mother's singing. In all that heavy rain, in all that thunder and flashing white, I heard her singing. So I got up and followed it, wondering if, in my haze, my mother was still alive. I couldn't see, but I could hear, and I followed, and followed, and followed. Then, the singing stopped when I came up a small grotto. It was warm and dry inside. I went inside and hid until the rain stopped, and later that day, when all was dry, I heard my father calling for me." He smiled. "I really think my mother came back to help me get somewhere safe and led my father to me. It sounds a bit silly, I know, but...it was so real to me."

Gilbert smiled. "I bet she sensed you were in danger." He didn't think it sounded silly at all. "My mother always said that she'd watch over me and protect me, so yours was just doing that too."

Ivan was relieved that Gilbert didn't laugh at him, and was even more pleased that he shared in it with him. "I'm glad I don't have to hide these types of things from you, Lord Gilbert. In my clan, it's not really, well, manly, to love and respect and be so close to your mother or your mate. My father was different, though. He loved my mother a lot and was not afraid to show it in front of other warriors who mocked him for it. I guess that's where I learned it. I respect you all the time."

Gilbert blushed a tiny bit, glancing away. "Thank you. I really appreciate that... You know, Elves are usually very loving people. A lot of us are greedy and two-faced, but most, erm...mate for life, I suppose, and also show their affection for their lover a lot. I'm glad you seem to be more of a lover than a fighter." He smiled at Ivan.

"You deserve to be treated with love and respect." he reminded Gilbert. "I really, really hope you choose to live here with me and be my mate, Lord Gilbert."

"I'm getting a little more used to it here. At least, being around you..." He paused for a moment, feeling his cheeks burn a little warmer. "You...really want me to stay, don't you?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. I want you to be my mate. I want to teach you how to live like me, and be more than just a pretty little Elf that no one respects." He smiled.

Gilbert thought about it for a moment. "I could try...to be your mate..." he spoke softly and a bit reluctantly. It was difficult to just decide to live a different life, but part of him really wanted to.

Ivan's smile widened. "I'm happy to hear that! You don't have to become my mate right away. There is still a lot for you to learn about my people. I know you will like it here, Lord Gilbert. I will help you build up your strength and confidence so that you can face your father."

"Thank you. I'd really like to stand up to him for once." He then chuckled. "He's going to be so angry."

"If he is a good father, he will let you come and go. You can stay with me here, and then do Elf things there. You can do both!"

"He won't allow that. He's arranged a marriage for me, and after I'm married, he planned on keeping me in the castle all the time and give him another heir," he said. "Besides, no matter what I say, there's no way he'd let me come back to the man who kidnapped me."

The storm continued to rage outside.

"Then I will challenge him. Is he a man of his word?"

Gilbert looked nervous. "I don't like the idea of you challenging him..."

Ivan nodded. "I understand. We'll get you trained in the ways of my warriors and then we will present you to your father. Maybe you can even scare him with how strong you've become!" he giggled.

"Maybe I could shoot an arrow right passed his head, then demand I be able to do what I want with my life," he said, grinning.

"That will show him that you won't take orders from him any longer! I hope you can do that, Lord Gilbert. I will be very proud of you."

"I hope so too. I'd love to see the look on his face when I demand my own life, and say that I'm your mate. He'd be so angry." He looked amused with the idea.

"My mate." Ivan repeated the words and, unable to stop himself, he became hard. It was too late to move when he realized that his erection was pressing against Gilbert's lower belly. Maybe the Elf wouldn't notice, or probably doesn't even know what it is.

Gilbert felt it and he turned a dark red. "Um..." He shifted a bit nervously, not knowing how to really respond to such a thing.

"That's...just my knee." Ivan said.

"I'm not stupid, Ivan. I know what that is." Gilbert looked up at him, looking slightly annoyed but his cheeks were flushed.

Ivan didn't know what to say or do, so he just grinned.

Gilbert blinked in confusion. "Why...why are you grinning...?"

"I...don't know what else to do? I can't make it go away at the moment so..." he cleared his throat. "I'll just...turn around."

Gilbert shook his head. "No. If... If I'm really going to be your mate, I have to get used to it, right...?"

"But you're not ready for me to mate with you yet." Ivan said, clenching his eyes shut. "You laying against me like this...will not help to make it go away."

Gilbert frowned. "I'm sorry." He felt a bit guilty, like it was his fault.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. If I were any other man, I could just mate you now and not care what you want. But I'm not like that. I want you to be ready and willing to mate with me. We will even do it this way, not like the animals." Unable to stop himself, he rolled over and settled Gilbert beneath him. Having Gilbert's small Elven body beneath him only made his member throb with the need for release and the urge to mate. He pressed his erection against Gilbert's groin so that the Elf could feel him fully, and hopefully, stir up some desire in him.

Once again, Gilbert's belly tightened, but it felt different than before with the kissing. He was nervous, but not exactly a bad nervous, just one that was unfamiliar. Feeling Ivan pressing against his own cock made him blush darker with some arousal as well, though he wasn't sure how to handle it in a situation like this. He'd been hard before, but not for another person.

"Ivan...you're only making it worse..." he mumbled shyly, not being able to look at the other.

"I know."

Regretfully, he forced himself off of Gilbert and out of bed. The storm still raged outside and he debated on going out in it to at least relieve himself of the ache in his groin. He didn't want to make himself release with Gilbert lying on the bed. It would be too awkward. Instead, he went over to the fire and sat in front of it.

"I'm just going to sit here for a bit until it goes away." He said softly.

Gilbert sat up. He still couldn't help but feel guilty about the situation. "But...doesn't it...hurt?" he asked. "Shouldn't you, you know...?"

"Yes but it's storming outside and... and it's strange to do 'that' with someone in the room."

"I could...look away?" Gilbert suggested.

"I'm just going to wait for it to go away. Don't worry, Lord Gilbert. I'll be fine."

Gilbert still frowned. The idea of Ivan being in pain or being uncomfortable because of him bothered him. Deciding to drop it, he rested back down on the bed and watched Ivan silently for a while. "Hey..." he finally spoke again, though quietly. "If I'm going to live here and be your mate, you don't have to call me 'lord' anymore."

"Yes...but you are not my mate yet. I will keep respecting you by calling you 'Lord Gilbert', until you are ready to be my mate."

Gilbert narrowed his eyes on Ivan. "I don't want you to call me it anymore," he said seriously.

Ivan looked back at him, recognizing the harsh tone. "Okay...Gilbert. I will only call you Gilbert from now on."

Gilbert smiled a little. "Thank you. Now hurry and come lay with me again." He looked away. "It's getting cold."

Just hearing those words made him ignore his almost softening erection and hurried over to get back into bed. The thunder and wind had changed to full lightening, which was flashing through the little open slits of the hut flap. Ivan pulled Gilbert close to him once again.

"I'll keep you warm and protect you from the storm."

Gilbert glanced up to him. "You're sure you're all right?"

"Yes. I'll be fine." He smiled at him. "The storm seems to be slowing down a bit. It won't be much longer now until it's over."

Gilbert hugged around Ivan's belly, holding onto him loosely. He felt comfortable enough with him, which surprised himself.

"My mate. My Gilbert." Ivan held him close. "I will always take care of you."

Ivan's words made Gilbert blush. They made him feel extremely loved and cared for, which was something he hadn't felt in a long time. "Thank you... I'm...really glad you kidnapped me," he joked softly.

Ivan chuckled at that as well. "I'm truly glad you didn't come to hate me. Once I saw how beautiful you were, I knew I had to treat you kindly. And then when I saw you were beautiful on the inside too, I knew that I wanted to make you mine."

Gilbert gave a little groan and hid his reddened face. "Stop it! You're making me feel strange!" he whined in embarrassment.

"But it's a good strange, right? It makes you feel happy, yes?"

"Yeah but it's embarrassing..."

"Soon it will be like a second nature for both of us." He said. "We'll learn about these feelings together, yes?"

Gilbert un-buried his head, looking curiously at Ivan. "You've never felt anything like this before? But you've been close with people before right?"

"Yes, but I've never experienced this kind of feeling for someone who is not a family member." He kissed his forehead. "Let's try to go to sleep now. Morning comes quickly."

Gilbert was somehow glad about Ivan's response. Cuddling close to the other, he closed his eyes to sleep.

**End Chapter 5 TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

*****Hi guys! Tymu and I would like to thank you for your support both on here and on Archive of our Own! Sorry for the long wait for an update! Hope you enjoy it! Reviews are loved!**

*****Warnings: Language, mild yaoi, fluff**

*****Disclaimer: We do not own Hetalia. We are not making any money off of this fic.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 6<span>**

The next morning, Ivan woke up first to check the status of outside, looking for any signs of damage. Most of the village was fine, with only a few blown over baskets and some cloths. People were already up and about beginning their day. Ivan smiled at the sight, taking in a deep breath of fresh after-rain morning air. The ground was squishy and muddy, which Gilbert may find annoying, but to Ivan it only meant fun. He liked splashing around in the mud.

Today he had a plan for Gilbert. He planned to take him to a special glen he knows of deep in the woods. They would have to take a horse to get there, which was something else he had to teach Gilbert to do, and that is ride their clan horses. The horses of the plains and highlands were different than the purebred ones the Elves use, yet he was certain Gilbert could manage riding their horses.

Going back inside, he couldn't bear to wake Gilbert up so he went over to the bed, kissed his cheek, and whispered softly. "I'm going out for a bit. I'll be right back, okay?"

Gilbert only groaned quietly in his sleep, shifting just a little but not waking. He was in a rather deep sleep, luckily with no nightmares of any kind. The storm had emotionally exhausted him, so his body was getting some much needed rest.

Ivan knew just what to get for breakfast and he would surprise Gilbert with it. Cleaning up after the storm should have many people occupied, so none should bother Gilbert. Still, Ivan would be quick, so he put on his warm clothes and headed out.

A little bit later, Gilbert stirred awake, searching around for signs of Ivan but finding none. Panicking a bit at first, he remembered hearing Ivan's voice saying he'd be back, and the boots and furs were missing from their place on the wall.

Outside he heard footsteps, assuming it was Ivan coming back. But the man who pushed open the flap was not Ivan but rather the eldest son of the chief. Gilbert wouldn't forget that face anywhere.

"Hello, Gilbert." Said the man cooly. "Where is Ivan?"

That feeling of panic came back and Gilbert hesitated before he answered. "He went out," he spoke as he pulled the blankets tighter around himself, like a defense.

"Ah, good then. We can talk." He stood in the center of the hut, looking around. "It's small, right?

Don't you want bigger?"

"No," Gilbert replied sternly. He didn't trust the man. He was acting like a lot of Elves did; Elves who wanted something from Gilbert. The worst part was that he was completely unmatched against this man.

The man chuckled flatly. "I see. But you are a lord, an Elven lord. You should be with the highest ranking warrior."

It was then that Gilbert realized what the man wanted and it frightened him a little. He stared at the other, trying not to let his fear show at all. "I'm already with a high ranking warrior."

The man smirked. "You know little of my people. Ivan is strong, yes. A very strong warrior. He can keep you safe, provide for you, keep you in a strong home, but, he is not a chief's son, like me. I am heir to the clan. You can lead with me. We can understand the Elves better with you to help us. Sounds good, yes?"

"No," Gilbert answered again. "I don't want to. I'm fine where I am."

"But you haven't seen what I can do. I am strong like Ivan. Strong and...hm...the word I need...? Ah, rich. Yes. Rich and strong. You like rich, yes?"

"People have been trying to bribe me with their money my entire life. And I doubt you're stronger than Ivan, I saw how he fought in front of everyone." He allowed himself to grin just slightly. "My answer is no."

"You say 'no' now, but I will prove to you I am better than Ivan. I am the chief's son. I can make peace between Elves and Clansman. Your Ivan can't. Think about that, little Elf."

"My answer will always be no," he assured him. He didn't need to think about it at all. Ivan was the only one he wanted, and he didn't realize that until that very moment.

"You will change your thinking, Elf. You will." He warned darkly.

'Why are you here?' Ivan asked in their language when he came back, keeping his gaze firmly on the man. 'Do not enter my home without permission.'

'I'm talking to your Elf. You plan to mate him, yes?'

Ivan glared. 'That's nothing to do with you.'

Gilbert's eyes snapped to Ivan when he entered, which he was grateful for. He listened to them speak, but couldn't understand.

'I will challenge you for him.'

'I accept the challenge.' Ivan agreed. 'But I will win. Gilbert is my mate.'

'He will be mine soon.'

Ivan growled as the warrior left his hut, making sure he was gone before hurrying over to Gilbert. "Did he hurt you?"

Gilbert shook his head. "No, but I have a feeling he plans to... What did he say?"

"He wants to challenge me for you."

"I don't want you to," Gilbert spoke urgently. "Won't his father get angry if you kill him?"

"I cannot kill him. I can beat him, but not kill him. We are forbidden to kill the chief, his children or his family. What did he say to you?"

"He offered me to go with him, to his home to be with him instead of you," he told him. "He said I'd change my mind and leave you for him."

"But what did he offer you?" Ivan asked. "He must have tried to impress you with something?"

"Money, and peace between our people. The usual that people tend to offer an Elven lord."

Ivan nodded. "He would offer that. We don't usually use money like other races do. The money we have is for...well...it's just items we stole from Elven people over the centuries. The chief inherits it, but we rarely ever spend it as money or use it. I don't think I know the word for...um...where one keeps lots of their things, like money and gold."

"Back home we put our money and valuables in banks and treasuries. Though most Elves wear a lot of their gold." He paused. "I turned him down, but I think it made him angry. He said he'd prove that he's better than you, and that I'll change my mind."

Ivan looked at him worriedly. "Will you? Will you change your mind?"

Gilbert's expression turned sad. "No, I won't." There were many reasons that Gilbert wouldn't change his mind, but the biggest fear he had at the moment was being hurt by the chief's son, or any of the others. Ivan was gentle and compassionate with him, and he doubted the rest of them would show him the same treatment.

"Even if they offer you so much more than I can give you?" Ivan just needed to hear it again. He had to make sure that Gilbert would remain his.

"Anything they offer won't matter if they abuse me. I know how they are, how they look at me. That's what you offer me that they never can beat. You respect me."

Ivan smiled in relief. "I'm so glad to hear that, Gilbert." He brought him into a hug. "You don't know how much that means to me!"

Gilbert hugged back. "I should be the grateful one. You're nothing like your clan members..."

"I want to be good for you, Gilbert. I want you to be proud of me. I want you to be proud to have me as your mate. I will do anything you ask."

Gilbert pulled away from him. He thought Ivan sounded almost desperate for his affection. In a way, he thought it was cute and endearing. He moved his hands up to cup Ivan's cheeks. "I am proud of you, and I am proud to be your mate, even if we haven't done anything yet." He softly rubbed a thumb against Ivan's cheekbone.

Ivan was excited by the touch and he leaned his face into Gilbert's hand. "That's good to hear. Today I'm taking you somewhere very, very special!" His eye twinkled in delight. "I want to give you lots of kisses when we get there!"

Gilbert blushed a little. "Where are we going?" he asked. He was curious about the look in Ivan's eyes.

"I want you to see it first. We need to take a horse to get there, and some blankets and food. I already got the food for us." He pointed to the basket. "Let's get dressed nice and warm! We'll be outside for awhile."

"Okay." Gilbert got out of bed and began to get dressed.

When they both were ready, Ivan carried everything to the stables where they were given a horse. Ivan saddled it up properly, securing their blankets and basket. With a smile, and without warning, he lifted Gilbert up and onto the horse before getting on behind. He clicked the horse into a trot.

"One day I'm going to teach you how to ride our horses." He suddenly had an image of Gilbert, completely naked, sitting atop the horse and he blushed happily. It was a delightful image, one that he would be thinking about over and over again, he was certain.

Gilbert gasped as he was lifted, but was more interested in the strange look Ivan had. He noticed that his cheeks were a little pink. Ignoring his own thoughts, he adjusted himself on the horse better, wiggling a little and then leaned back against Ivan to hopefully feel his warmth.

"I'd like to learn how to ride," he said with a smile.

"And you will!" He kept having the image of naked Gilbert in his head. "Naked or not, you will learn to ride!" He gasped when he realized he let that slip out. "Oh look! Birds!" He tried to change the subject, looking up in the sky that was void of birds.

Gilbert flushed a dark red and felt that weird feeling in his lower belly again. "What..?" he sounded nervous. He was too embarrassed to look back at him.

"Nothing! Onward!"

They rode the rest of the way in silence. Ivan slowed the horse down when they got closer to the glen. He carefully wove the horse around the trees until they came upon the glen. The ground was a little wet but the thick furs would keep them dry. There were little purple flowers all around, having survived last night's storm due to the heavy canopy of treetops that covered them.

"This is where I wanted to take you." He got off the horse, tied it to the tree, and helped Gilbert down. "I used to come here as a child with my sisters and father. Lots of good memories."

"It's beautiful," Gilbert spoke. Gilbert was still in shock and awe of how nice the land around Ivan's home was. He looked at Ivan. "Was there a reason you wanted to take me here?"

"Yes. It's quiet and pretty. No one to bother us." He took the furs out and laid them on the ground. "I thought we could eat out here too. And we can give each other lots of kisses."

Gilbert smiled, thinking how sweet Ivan was. No one had ever done such a nice thing for him before. "You're very sweet," he said and moved closer, "but I think you're hiding another side. I still remember what you said on the horse." He gave Ivan a tiny smile.

"Eh? What do you mean?" He grinned and blushed darkly. "I didn't say anything! It's time to eat! Num num num!"

"You were thinking about me being naked on a horse." He pouted a bit playfully, though blushed as well.

"Ah, so you did hear that." He blushed and hid behind his scarf. "Sorry, Gilbert! I couldn't stop myself from thinking about you like that! It's bad of me. You can hit me on the head if you want. I shouldn't be thinking about you naked..." 'Even though I have..many times.' It was true. His desire for Gilbert kept his mind wandering in naughty directions.

Gilbert chuckled silently. Ivan was just too cute sometimes. He gripped Ivan's scarf with his hand, pulled him down a little, and then gently kissed his cheek. "I'm not going to hit you. It's a little embarrassing to hear, and to think of what you might be thinking about, but...it's natural. I'm not angry." He smiled.

Ivan, pleased that Gilbert wasn't angry at him, lifted him up in a big bear hug to shower him with kisses.

Gilbert couldn't help but giggle as Ivan kissed him, and he hugged around his neck tightly.

He carried him over to the furs and sat the other down carefully. He retrieved the basket and sat beside him. "I hope you will like what I brought. We got roasted nuts, dried venison, bread and cheese! And I brought along some of our special drink! Vodka!" he smiled proudly. "This is like your wine, but better! Stronger! Like us!"

"I've heard of vodka, but I've never had it," Gilbert said. "It was always wine or water, nothing else was good enough, according to my father."

"Well then, I hope you come to like our vodka." He uncorked the canteen and took a swig from it.

"Ahh, delicious! Your turn." He handed it to Gilbert. "But don't drink deep like I just did. It will make you cough."

Gilbert gave a single nod and took a small sip. He made a funny face at the taste, noting how different it was from his usual Elven wine.

"Well, how do you like it? I know it's strong."

Gilbert had to resist spitting out the drink. "It's...different," was the best comment he could give it.

Ivan took it away and drank some more. "Ah! Refreshing! The more you drink it the easier it is to swallow. Try another sip." He smiled sweetly.

Gilbert didn't look too excited to drink more, but he didn't want to hurt Ivan's feeling since he really seemed to like it. Preparing himself once again, he took another sip. He took a few, trying to see if the taste got better overtime.

"Would you like some bread too?" Ivan offered.

"Yes please," Gilbert answered quickly. He figured that having something to eat with the drink would make it easier. He was determined to get used to the taste, seeing it as another thing he had to overcome, like previously dealing with the mud on his face.

Ivan watched him curiously. "I have to get you more plump." He said with a chuckle. "You're skinny."

Gilbert stopped mid-bite, letting a piece of bread hang from his mouth. After a second, he chewed and swallowed. "I'm perfectly healthy," he said. "Elves are just smaller than most everyone else."

Ivan poked Gilbert's belly. "I know, but you can be a little thicker in the middle. Like me!" He pat his own solid stomach. "I still think you're pretty no matter what, Gilbert!"

Gilbert flinched just a little when Ivan poked his stomach. He didn't want to admit it but he was extremely ticklish around his belly and sides.

"Maybe I could stand to gain some..."

"If you do or don't it won't change how I feel about you." Ivan said proudly. "Drink some more! Don't be shy now!"

Doing as told, Gilbert started drinking again. The taste didn't get any better the more he drank, and he started to feel a little warm and dizzy.

Ivan chuckled and took the canteen from him. "Alright, that's enough for now. Save some for me." He teased.

Gilbert smiled crookedly. "I feel kind of strange... You didn't put something weird in that, did you?" he asked jokingly.

"No, not at all. That's just the strength of the vodka. Makes you feel good, doesn't it?"

"I feel tingly, but...it does feel kind of good..." He started to eat again.

Ivan chuckled. "Drinking too much vodka can make you do...silly things."

"What do you mean?" Gilbert asked curiously.

"Well, it clouds your mind and it makes you do things you wouldn't normally do. Sometimes you forget about it in the morning. What's the word for it...? When you drink too much wine?"

"Oh, when you're drunk," Gilbert said. "I've never been drunk, so I don't know what I'd do." He paused for a few seconds. "Maybe ride a horse naked?" he teased a little.

Ivan grinned. "I wouldn't stop you from doing that. Too bad it's so cold here all the time or I'd have you walk around the hut naked!"

Gilbert blushed a little. "You'd have to wait until I was comfortable enough first."

"I know. But if you want me to walk around naked for you, I will!" He said boldly.

"I think I'd be too embarrassed with that even... I'm not exactly used to anything like that..."

"But when we mate we have to be naked. Being naked is natural. Nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know that, but we come from different lifestyles, remember? I was taught to keep myself covered, and that being nude around anyone but my lover was wrong... Maybe you could ease me into it?" he asked shyly.

"It's too cold now, but maybe tonight back in the hut. We can just get used to seeing each other naked and nothing more."

Gilbert gave a slow nod. "Okay, I can try that."

"That's how we'll have dinner. And then maybe..." He glanced away. "Maybe we can...go to bed like that too? No mating, just laying with each other."

"Maybe... I'm nervous though..."

"But you trust me not to do anything, right? You'll stop being nervous when you see that there is nothing to worry about."

"I trust you. It's not you that's the problem. I've just never been naked around anyone, so..."

"Then you can start with me!" He took a swig of the vodka. "AH! Delicious!" He licked and smacked his lips. "Tonight is going to be so much fun! Maybe you should drink more." He handed Gilbert the canteen. "It makes thoughts easier!"

Gilbert wasn't sure if it was a good idea to drink more, but he found himself not being able to refuse. He took the canteen and drank a bit more, though not a lot.

Ivan dished out the food for them, looking around happily as he chewed. Gilbert noticed that when Ivan was away from the village and far from other warriors, he was like a child, eager and curious about his surroundings. This was still the man who smashed in another's face and broke an arm with just one hand, and can kill without a thought. But right now he was looking around happily, shaking his knees, and softly humming.

As Gilbert ate, he kept an eye on Ivan. He had to wonder why the man acted so childish when away from his village.

"Ivan... Do you like living here? In your village I mean."

"Yes, it's my home. This is where I was born and raised." He took another sip of vodka. "I don't belong anywhere else."

"Why do you act so different when you're away from it, then? You seem so much happier out here."

"Hmm..." He looked around. "I guess it makes me think of happy times. When my father and sisters were with me."

"I see... You just seem like you'd be happier living out here on your own."

Ivan looked down at his chewed piece of dried meat. "I...guess you're right but...I like having the choice of going where I want. I come here to be happy with myself and memories, then I go home to the village with all my people, and that also makes me happy." He smiled brightly. "Soon you will be with me, yes? Then I'll be very, very happy!"

Gilbert looked at him sadly. "It really makes you happy to be around those people? Even though they mock you and hardly respect you?"

"What other choice do I have? I have no more family. Even if no one is often nice to me...this is still my home."

"You could come out here, build your own home... I could stay with you."

Ivan shook his head. "No. Not in these parts. Too much of it is very wild. To live in this area, you need the protection of a clan. Our land is not nice and tidy and safe like your Elven farm lands. I couldn't be a farmer. I would look silly."

Gilbert looked down. "Okay, if that's what you want..."

"Why? Did you have something different in mind?"

Gilbert shook his head. "I just thought you'd be happier out here." He thought for a moment. "The land around my home is nice and tame, but I doubt you'd want to go there."

"I wouldn't be allowed there. Look at me, Gilbert. I look nothing like Elves. To them, I must look like a big smelly boar."

Gilbert did look at him, but he didn't see what Ivan said. He sighed. "All right. It's fine, though. I don't mind living in your village, I just wish they were nicer to you. And didn't want to kill me."

Ivan looked at him fondly. "Do you...want me to live with you, Gilbert? In Elven land?"

Gilbert hesitated. "Maybe... But I don't want you to be mocked or hurt by some of the Elves. And then there's my father..."

"I will do whatever you want me to do, Gilbert."

Gilbert shook his head. "No, I can't take you away from your land." He started drinking again, forcing the vodka down.

"I guess time will tell. I just want to make you happy in whatever way I can as my mate."

Gilbert put the vodka down. "I want to go somewhere that we'll both be safe," he mumbled out.

"I don't think there is such a place. Gilbert," he took his hand. "There is danger everywhere. If not here in my village or in your land, then there will only be a new danger somewhere else."

Gilbert looked at him sadly. "At least you can protect me here..."

Ivan smiled and nodded. "Yes. Once you are known as my mate, less will bother you. It's not wise for a warrior to take an already 'soiled' mate. I will be your first and only- I don't know if this works for Elves but you lose your appeal once you've mated."

Gilbert shook his head. "Some Elves are kind of known for being rather...promiscuous," he said, and then realized that Ivan might not know that word. "I mean, they enjoy mating with several people. Some even prefer those with...'experience,' rather than virgins." He blushed a little.

"Is a 'virgin' what you are? I don't think I know that word." He flushed softly.

The Elf nodded, turning more red. "It's what people call someone who has never had sex—erm, mated."

"I see." He thought for a moment. "Does being a 'virgin' mean good things for Elves? It's a good thing for warriors."

"Depends on the Elf. We don't really have a set belief on it. Some people see it as being pure and untainted, others see it as something to be ashamed of. In my family, I was taught that having sex or doing anything sexual before I was married was bad, because I'm promised to another noble, and we shouldn't be 'tainted' when we give ourselves to them," he explained.

"Hmm...we almost do something like that. But know this, even if you weren't a virgin, I wouldn't care." He kissed Gilbert's hand. "It's just the 'you' that I want."

Ivan's words stunned Gilbert and made him blush dark. For a moment he could do nothing but stare at the other man. "That makes me happy..." He hid a little smile under the palm of his hand, feeling embarrassed.

"I'm glad!" Ivan felt his heart start to beat and he asked Gilbert if he could kiss him again. Gilbert simply answered by crawling closer and softly pressing his pink lips to the corner of Ivan's mouth.

Ivan, pleasantly surprised by the kiss, turned his head and brought Gilbert's lips into a full kiss.

Leaning more into the kiss, Gilbert settled his hands on Ivan's shoulders, and tilted his head just a little. He pulled the smaller form onto his lap, fixing Gilbert's legs so they were straddling him. He broke the kiss for only a moment to give Gilbert some air before meeting their lips again.

Gilbert's cheeks darkened at the new position, but did nothing to stop it or move from it. He tilted his head more, and let his thin fingers graze up Ivan's neck to his jaw where he held the other's face gently.

Ivan let his hands roam over the other's back, taking in and memorizing every contour of the slim back. He broke the kiss to press their foreheads together. "You're dangerous to have around. You tempt me too much."

Out of embarrassment, Gilbert wanted to hide his face in Ivan's neck, but couldn't bring himself to look away from him. "You're the one who put me in your lap..." he grumbled a quiet retort.

"Exactly. You're opening up to me more...and it's making me crave you more than ever!"

Finally Gilbert buried his face into Ivan's neck, feeling his cheeks and entire body burn warmer with his thoughts. "Are you sure you can handle being naked tonight...?" he asked.

"I can control my body...but my thoughts are a different matter."

"That's fine. You can think whatever you want," Gilbert said and hugged a bit tighter. He couldn't help but be curious of what Ivan's thoughts were.

"Let's go back. It will get dark soon and we have a nice night ahead of us, yes?" His eyes twinkled.

Gilbert gave a little nod, blushing a light pink. He stood up from Ivan's lap, and waited for him.

It was a silent ride home back to the village. Ivan got them another canteen of vodka before heading to their hut and tying down the flap so no one could walk in on them. He couldn't wipe the grin off his face as he prepared the fire.

As Ivan did, Gilbert sat nervously on the bed with his legs folded, and began to anxiously pick under his nails a little. It was a nervous habit he had that he could never break. Gilbert had never been seen naked, there was never a time where he even came close to being nude with another person. There was a knot in his belly, but not for fear of Ivan, but just out of sheer embarrassment for anything that could happen, and even just Ivan's gaze on him.

When the room was warm enough, Ivan went over to Gilbert and knelt before him beside the bed. "Can I undress you, Gilbert? Or do you want to undress me first?"

Gilbert shifted a little in his spot. He wasn't entirely comfortable with either option. "Can I take it one step at a time?" he asked. "One piece of clothing for now, just so I can get more used to it?"

"Do you want to take turns removing one article of clothing each?" Ivan offered.

Gilbert nodded, though still felt a bit nervous, and turned to face Ivan fully.

"May I do it first?" He asked. Gilbert simply nodded again. Ivan's fingers went to the tie holding the fur shawl around Gilbert's shoulders. Slowly, he let the ties unravel and carefully removed the shawl. "Your turn." He smiled.

Gilbert shivered a little but his body quickly adjusted to the slight temperature difference. He leaned closer and loosened the ties of Ivan's fur cloak as well, letting it drop around him.

Ivan then removed the small riding cloak to reveal the thick tunic. He wanted to remove the tunic as well, but remembered that it was now Gilbert's turn.

Gilbert carefully lifted Ivan's tunic over his head and then placed it beside them. He paused for a moment to look at Ivan's torso.

Ivan's chest was solid with muscle and littered with scars. When he had first seen Ivan like this in the beginning the sight did nothing for him. But now, this far into their relationship, the sight of Ivan's body, solid and hard, was intoxicating.

Now Ivan could finally see Gilbert for himself, at least the upper half. He slowly removed the tunic to reveal flawless white skin with pink nipples, each one tightening to little peeks once exposed to the air. Gilbert's belly was fine, flat and smooth. Ivan hungered to touch him but kept

his control. He stood up so that Gilbert could remove his pants.

Still feeling nervous, Gilbert shifted to sit on the backs of his calves and began to fuss with the ties holding Ivan's pants up. He was already feeling slightly turned on from the warm atmosphere and how they were slowly undressing each other, and that embarrassed him. Finally, he pushed the pants off and down Ivan's hips, and then stood there in front of him, not looking down and looking lost on what to do. He knew that he was next, and he nervously twiddled his thumbs and fingers in front of him, at the hem of his own pants.

Ivan, pleased with Gilbert's reaction regardless, brought his hands down to carefully move the smaller ones away from the pants. He untied them and let the material fall to Gilbert's ankles. He didn't want to embarrass Gilbert further so he got down on his knees and hugged the small body close, resting his cheek on the slim tummy. Gilbert's body was so smooth beneath his cheek. He could feel Gilbert's member, though not aroused, pressed against his chest. He ached to see all of Gilbert but knew the elf was not quite ready. He had to ease Gilbert into this, so he just held him and planted a kiss to his belly button.

Gilbert's cheeks and even his ears turned a bright red when Ivan hugged around him. He looked at the top of Ivan's head, watching him press against his stomach. When Ivan kissed his skin, he felt his heart skip a beat. It was cute, Gilbert thought, and he appreciated the gesture. Bringing one hand down to place on Ivan's head, he began to gently toy with the ash blond hair. Some of his nervousness started to fade, and he felt comfortable with Ivan hugging him, even the kiss didn't bother him. He started to think how silly it was to be so nervous when he trusted Ivan.

"Are you ready to look at me, Gilbert? There's no shame in it. We're both men."

"Yeah..." Gilbert answered with a nod, and placed his hand on Ivan's shoulder.

Ivan stood up and took two steps back. "Don't be shy."

Gilbert let his eyes hesitantly travel down Ivan's body. The red on his cheeks renewed when they landed on his member.

Ivan couldn't hide his obvious arousal and he felt a little nervous, surprisingly, by Gilbert looking at him. He took a few moments to take in Gilbert's beautiful, flawless body.

"You're so pretty, Gilbert." Ivan said softly. "My body is nothing like yours...do I disgust you?"

Gilbert shook his head. "No. You're just different," he said and looked shy, "but that doesn't mean you're not attractive."

"I'm glad." He reached out and pulled Gilbert into a hug to press their bodies together. Gilbert fit perfectly in his arms.

Their skin touching was like a shock to Gilbert's system, but he soon melted into the warmth and leaned against Ivan. He wrapped his arms around his back.

"See? That wasn't so hard. Now, we're going to sit in front of the fire, with you in my lap, and a nice blanket around us. Okay?" Gilbert simply nodded in response.

Ivan moved away and got the blanket. He smiled at Gilbert who was still looking shy. Ivan wanted to make him laugh so he flexed his muscles. "Me big strong man! Strong like bull!" He flexed some more.

Gilbert stared at him for a moment, and then covered his mouth as he huffed out a little laugh. He knew what Ivan was doing and it did make him relax a little. Being with Ivan like this was easier than he thought, but he knew it was because Ivan was being so sweet and gentle with him.

"How about some vodka too while we sit?" Ivan offered, holding up the canteen. "Sitting together, nice and warm, flushed drunk...it'll be very relaxing."

"All right," Gilbert accepted. "Don't drink too much, though, okay?"

"I won't. I'm really good at keeping myself from getting drunk."

He led Gilbert over to the fire and sat down, pulling Gilbert into his lap. To feel his Elf so close to him like this was arousing but he told himself to keep control and focus on the serenity of the moment. He wrapped the blanket around them both and held Gilbert close, nuzzling behind the pointed ear.

Gilbert smiled softly at the sweetness of the moment. Feeling so warm and being held so close made him feel wanted and loved. Slowly, he leaned his weight back against Ivan, blushing from the contact of their bare skin, and sighed blissfully.

Ivan took a swig of vodka and held the canteen to Gilbert's lips. "Want some?" he asked.

Gilbert gave a small nod and leaned forward until his lips pressed against the mouthpiece of the canteen. Ivan tipped it carefully so he could drink some. He then took some more himself. "Let's just sit here, together." He said softly. "I just want you near me."

"Okay," Gilbert replied and simply rested back against Ivan and watched the fire crackling in front of him.

They stayed that way for a long while, just sitting in silence and enjoying each other's company. Soon he felt Gilbert falling limp in his hold, realizing he had fallen asleep. Ivan smiled and rest his chin on Gilbert's soft hair.

"My mate."

In his sleep Gilbert made a soft groaning noise and shifted in Ivan's lap, but did not wake up.

He figured it was time for them to go to bed. He gently lifted Gilbert in his arms to bring him to the bed, making sure he was tucked in just right before laying beside him. He snuggled himself up to Gilbert.

Gilbert woke a little due to the movement as Ivan got into bed beside him. He glanced up at him with sleepy eyes and gave a tired smile.

Ivan kissed his nose. "Go to sleep. I'm right here."

Cuddling into Ivan, Gilbert did just that and closed his eyes to sleep.

Ivan was so happy right now. It felt like he had not just a mate but a family as well. He was part of a family again, even if it was a small one. He snuggled Gilbert close and fell asleep with a content smile on his face.

Surrounded by Ivan's warmth, Gilbert slept soundly throughout the night until the sun was just beginning to rise. Their legs were slightly tangled together under the fur blanket, but Gilbert was too warm and comfy to move. Instead, he cuddled closer and tucked his head under Ivan's arm, burying his face into his chest.

Ivan woke up with Gilbert's movements, taking a moment to peek out one of the holes in the flap to see that it was bright out. He had slept until after sunrise! But looking at Gilbert's Elven face, he couldn't bear to move him or wake him up. With a kiss on the head, he slowly and carefully slipped from the bed.

Pouting slightly, Gilbert sat up. He was very much enjoying laying beside Ivan and didn't want him to get up from bed. Though he figured that they had things to do.

Ivan dressed for the day and set to starting up another fire for breakfast. He peeked back over to the bed and saw Gilbert stirring around.

"Go back to sleep." Ivan whispered. "I'll go get some breakfast."

Gilbert yawned as he rubbed his eye, though didn't protest the idea of sleeping more. He mumbled a tired, "Okay," and then lied back down, pulling the furs over his body again.

While Ivan was gone, Gilbert had just fallen asleep when he heard some noise coming from outside the hut. He thought Ivan was back. Peeking out of the furs, he saw that someone had indeed been IN the hut, but they weren't there now, and to his horror, he found a stag's head, freshly decapitated, laying in the center of the hunt.

He sat up, clenching the fur to his chest and couldn't take his eyes off the stag's head. It was such a bizarre thing to see so suddenly, while also a little disgusting. He glanced around again, and wondered who brought the head in. He figured that if it was Ivan, he'd still be in the hut. Not knowing what to do, he stayed in bed and kept his eyes on the entrance of the hut.

A little bit later, Ivan came back, holding a basket. "I got us some fresh bread and butter and quail eggs for-" he stopped when he saw the stag's head. Slowly, he turned towards Gilbert and narrowed his eyes. "Who was in here?" He asked in a dark voice.

"I don't know," Gilbert answered. Ivan's gaze made him feel nervous. "I didn't see who it was. I only heard someone but when I looked, they were gone."

He put the basket down and looked closely at the stag's head. On the antler was a strand of leather tie with a red feather on the end. Ivan growled, picked up the head by the antlers, and held it towards Gilbert.

"This is a mating gift from the chief's son!" he shouted angrily. "Do you accept his gift? An aged stag! Thick antlers, and many of them! Hard to find and hard to kill! Do you accept his gift?"

Gilbert, frightened by Ivan's tone, sunk down and clenched the fur around him. "No. I-I don't," he stuttered, "I don't care what he offers me," he spoke a bit shakily.

"Good." Ivan sneered at the stag's head. "I'm going to send him a message! I-" he stopped, looked at Gilbert, and then frowned. "I'll do it outside, so you don't have to see me.'

"No!" Gilbert raised his voice a little. "Just...get rid of the head. If he comes back, I'll tell him myself that I declined his gift."

"That is not the way of my people! We warriors are-" he paused again, choosing his words differently. He glanced away from Gilbert. "But I will do as you say." He tossed the stag's head outside.

Gilbert watched him for a moment. "... What is the way of your people, then? What would you do instead?" he asked.

"I would disfigure that stag's head and put my own symbol on it. Or, the most insulting way to challenge a chief..." He cleared his throat. "No, I'm going to leave it at that." He put on a bright, cheery smile. "I got some yummy things for breakfast!"

"I hate when you change the subject..." Gilbert spoke quietly, but sighed and let Ivan do as he wished.

"It's not...nice or...ah, proper, or something you would consider proper."

"I want to know," Gilbert stated.

Ivan sighed. "Very well. To show him that you don't want his gift, and to show him that I still intend to mate you, I would...confront him with the denied stag's head and piss on it." He said bluntly.

Gilbert looked stunned for a moment, and then abruptly started laughing.

Surprised to hear laughter, Ivan gave him a crooked smile, confused. "What's so funny?"

Gilbert shook his head a little. It took a few seconds more for him to stop his chuckling, and then he flashed a small grin at Ivan. "Do whatever you want," he said. "I think it'd be hilarious."

"It would send a very powerful message." Ivan grinned. "But I already tossed the stag's head away." He pointed out. "Someone's taken it by now to eat and carve."

"Maybe he'll send another gift," Gilbert joked softly.

Ivan turned serious then. "He may. Best we stay away from the village today. Let's practice your bow and arrow again."

"Why do we have to stay away from the village?" Gilbert asked.

"Because of this 'gift' he brought you. The less we're around, the better."

Gilbert didn't understand and tilted his head. "Is it because it's a mating gift?"

"Yes. He may bring you more today. If he can't find us, he can't leave the gifts."

"Are you worried I'll accept them?"

"No, I just want to avoid causing a fight that will upset you."

"I understand," Gilbert said and then got up from bed. He held the fur blanket around himself loosely, and went to Ivan. "You haven't given me a proper kiss yet." He looked shy, blushing a bit but also really wanting Ivan to kiss him.

"A good morning kiss?" Ivan was eager to comply. He leaned in and kissed him gently, a soft, sweet peck on the lips. "Good morning, Gilbert."

Gilbert's cheeks grew a light pink and he smiled a little. He stood on his tip-toes and returned the kiss as well. "Good morning."

"Want me to make you breakfast?" He asked proudly.

"Sure," Gilbert answered. "Or I could help?"

"Would you like to learn how to cook?" Ivan smiled hopefully. "I can teach you how to cook, and then you can cook meals for me!"

"Already treating me like a wife?" Gilbert grinned playfully. "All right. Teach me."

Ivan began teaching him the very basics, from the right way to crack open an egg to adding the right amount of herb. He let Gilbert try to cook one egg on his own. "My father always said you should just go into something new and do your best! You will likely fail, but then you learn what not to do and can only get better! Now, cook that yummy egg!"

Gilbert gave a confident nod, not thinking it would be hard at all to cook a simple egg. He cracked the egg as Ivan showed him to, and tried to cook it.

Ivan watched carefully, noticing how many times Gilbert managed to ruin the egg but chose not to say a word. he smiled pleasantly, waiting for the egg to be given to him.

Gilbert knew that he was messing up. After a few minutes he was sure he'd ruined the entire thing, but continued anyway. Hoping that it'd at least taste decent, he presented the egg to Ivan and hoped for the best.

Ivan took the wooden plate, looking suspiciously at the item presented on it, and gave a delicate blow to cool it. He lifted the cooked egg in his hand and took a bite. Immediately, the terrible taste of burnt egg and too many herbs filled his mouth with a rancid taste. But he couldn't bear to hurt Gilbert's feelings, so keeping a straight face, he forced it down.

"Mmm! Delicious Gilbert!" he made himself eat the rest. Quickly. "Mm mm mm! Yummy!"

Gilbert looked skeptically at Ivan. The way the man was acting was a bit strange. "Really? You're not just saying that?"

"No. Not at all. It was very...good."

Gilbert leaned down to face Ivan at eye-level. He stared for a while, studying Ivan's expression. "... You're lying," he stated with a pout.

"No. Why would I...lie...?" The egg was repeating on him. He tried to swallow what was trying to come back up.

Pink eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't mind if it's not good, but I didn't think you'd lie to me."

"I just want you to be...happy."

Ivan was turning green.

Gilbert noticed that Ivan was looking a bit strange. "Are you okay? You don't look too good..."

Ivan just smiled and stood up, quickly leaving the hut to vomit up the terrible egg.

Gilbert heard him, and felt horrible about having Ivan eat something so bad. He sat down and waited for Ivan to come back.

When Ivan entered, he wiped his mouth and smiled sweetly. "We'll just have to try again."

Gilbert frowned. "I wish you would have just said it wasn't good. You didn't have to eat all of it."

"But I wanted you to be happy. I don't mind if you cause me pain." He said honestly.

"You might not mind it, but I do."

Ivan lowered his eyes and head. "I'm sorry. I upset you."

Gilbert was upset. He stood up and went to Ivan, then cupped the man's face in his hands to make him look at him. "I'd rather you be honest with me, even if that means telling me I'm terrible at something."

"I...I just don't want to do that because you are being so kind to me and you want to be my mate and you're so pretty. I'm very lucky to have you around. I don't want you to be mad at me or hate me. I only want you to be happy." He said, covering Gilbert's hands with his own.

Gilbert gave a crooked grin. "You're cute." He kissed Ivan's nose, and then stayed close. "But, where I'm from, lovers don't lie to each other."

"Lovers? That's the word you use for your mates, right?" Gilbert nodded. "When can we be...real lovers? In the mating way." He asked both innocently and seriously.

Gilbert blushed and shifted his eyes away. "Well... Maybe after we...explore each other a bit more?" He looked embarrassed, then mumbled out softly, "We've never even done anything else."

Ivan was hopeful again. "You want to go further?" He asked eagerly.

"Well, yeah... That's what lovers and mates do, right?"

Ivan nodded happily and wiggled his shoulders. "They sure do! Let's do some now before we practice!"

Gilbert blinked in shock, blushing a bit more. "What—What did you have in mind...?"

Ivan's eyes scanned Gilbert's body. "I want to mark your skin as mine with my lips!"

Feeling embarrassed with Ivan's eyes on him, he shifted slightly. "Where at...?"

"Oh, lots of places!" Ivan pulled him into an embrace. "All over, really."

Gilbert buried his face into Ivan's neck. "All right..." he mumbled.

**End Chapter 6 TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

*****Thanks for all the support everyone!**

*****Warnings: Yaoi, humor, fluff**

*****Disclaimer: We do not own Hetalia. We are making no money off of this fic.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

He stripped Gilbert bare and lifted him in his arms to bring over to the bed. Removing his own clothes, he looked at Gilbert's trembling body with hungry desire. He got under the fur blankets with him, laying his full weight and body on top of the slim one.

"I'm going to mark you with kisses."

Still shy and nervous about being naked with someone, Gilbert couldn't make eye-contact. He hid most of his face with his forearm, as if that could hide him.

Ivan started with kisses to the long, slim neck. He sucked lightly on each spot to leave a little red mark. Gilbert wouldn't be able to see them there, but he planned to lave some on his belly, legs and thighs.

As Ivan left the marks, Gilbert wiggled just lightly. The feeling made him warm, and he had to keep himself from making soft whimpers and moans.

"Don't hold back. Let me hear your voice, lover." Ivan said as he moved down to Gilbert's chest.

Gilbert let out a quite whimper. It was embarrassing, and the feeling was so new that he didn't really know how to react. Gasping softly when Ivan move down, he couldn't help but arch up just a little.

Ivan felt himself become aroused from the simple arch and he bit down on a nipple. He moved his mouth to the center of Gilbert's chest to suck the skin there as well, leaving little red marks.

Gilbert's breath began to come out in short, hot puffs. He squeaked at the bite, but it aroused him as well. It was amazing, he never imagined it'd feel as good as it did. Hoping to show his appreciation and that it felt good, he gentle placed his fingers in Ivan's hair.

He moaned deeply at the sweet touch. With his lips he left not one spot on Gilbert's chest untouched. Now they would move a little further. HE would awaken Gilbert's desires. He kissed down to Gilbert's groin.

A shudder wracked through Gilbert's body as Ivan went lower. He felt excitement and nervousness all tighten into a knot in his lower belly. It was a somewhat familiar feeling, but with someone else behind the touching, he felt that everything was completely out of his control, and that gave it an entirely different feeling. With a soft whine, he gripped his fingers a bit tighter into Ivan's hair.

Ivan buried his nose in the white curls, taking in Gilbert's scent as he came to the pale and a pink erection. He tenderly kissed the tip of it. Gilbert gasped louder, arching his back again but keeping his hips on the bed.

"I really am going to eat you all up, like a big wolf!" He took the tip into his mouth first and gave a gentle suck to lengthen the organ into hardness.

Tilting his head back against the pillows an furs, Gilbert let out a soft cry of pleasure. It didn't take much to make him hard, and his hips began to shake with need. Ivan began a slow, steady rhythm of bobbing his head up and down the length, using the base of his tongue to ad stimulation on the underside. Gilbert's breathing became heavier and his belly heaved up and down. Without meaning to, he moaned Ivan's name quietly, gripping the man's hair even tighter.

To hear his name on those lips brought forth a moan from the back of his throat and it vibrated against Gilbert's member.

The sensation pulsing though Gilbert's body felt fantastic and he couldn't help but moan loudly. After a few more seconds, Gilbert's orgasm hit him suddenly and he arched his back high with a muffled, pleasured cry.

Swallowing all of Gilbert's flavor, Ivan allowed his mouth to remain around the organ for a few more moments before finally pulling away, licking his lips. He glanced up at Gilbert, seeing the flushed face.

After his breathing regained a normal rate, the realization of what just happened settled in. Completely embarrassed when he saw Ivan look up at him, Gilbert covered his reddened face to hide.

Ivan removed the hands from Gilbert's face so that he could see the flushed face full of afterglow and embarrassment. "You have created a new shade of red, Gilbert! I'm going to call it, 'Gilbert's Blush'!" He grinned.

That embarrassed Gilbert even further and he whined, and he weakly shook his head back and forth to show a little bit of protest. After, he simply couldn't look at Ivan and stared off to the side.

"Gilbert, there is no reason to be shy for I am the only one who can ever see you like this. No one will know your pleasure face but me. You don't need to be shy around the mate that loves you."

Gilbert slowly looked back at him. "You...love me?"

"Isn't that the right word?" Ivan smiled sweetly. "Or...do you Elves have a different word for it?"

Gilbert shook his head. "No, we use that word... I just didn't expect you to say it..." He blushed cutely, looking bashful.

"Why not? I wouldn't mate with you if I didn't have feelings for you." He nuzzled Gilbert's belly.

Gilbert smiled happily as he was incredibly pleased to hear Ivan say that. Suddenly, Gilbert wrapped his arm around Ivan's shoulders, holding him tightly against his stomach. "Thank you."

"For what?" He hugged him back. "Loving you?"

"Yes," Gilbert twirled some of Ivan's hair around his finger. "Back home people would tell me they loved me, but only wanted money or to join our houses. It's nice to know that someone likes me for me. Here my title as a noble means nothing. Not to you anyway."

"I'm honored to make you so happy, Gilbert." he nuzzled the Elf. "I could hold you forever and ever and ever!"

Gilbert grinned. "I thought you wanted me to practice how to shoot a bow again?" he asked playfully. "Or did you change your mind now?"

Ivan made a whining sound and nibbled on Gilbert's shoulder. "I'm jealous of the bow! That bow can't have you!" he said playfully. Gilbert chuckled and wrapped his arms around Ivan tighter.

"Then we can just hide away in here." He kissed into Ivan's hair.

"I would do that if we could. We could just stay like this forever and be happy. I want you to be happy all the time, Gilbert."

"Hold me like this everyday, and I will be."

They remained in each other's arms for what seem liked hours before Ivan regretfully left the comforting embrace. "We should get to practicing. I want you to be able to defend yourself if you ever need too."

Gilbert gave a soft whine. "All right."

"We can cuddle every night too, you know. Not just mornings!" Ivan reminded him.

Gilbert smiled. "I look forward to it then."

"There is much we have to look forward to." He said with a wink.

At the archery field Gilbert was improving on his skills with the bow. He even managed to hit the target each time, though he was still fairly far from hitting a bulls-eye. Every shot filled him with some pride; it felt good to finally do something he'd been wanting to for such a long time. After retrieving the arrow from the target, he jogged back to Ivan with a bight smile, but was starting to show some signs of fatigue.

"How am I doing?" he asked, eager to be praised by his soon-to-be mate.

"You are great at this! It was a good choice to get you started!" He clapped his hands. "You're doing so well! But are you feeling okay? Don't overwork yourself."

Gilbert grinned proudly. "I'm fine! Just a little tired, is all."

"We can stop and take a break if you need to?"

"No." He shook his head. "I'd rather push myself until I absolutely can't go anymore." He pulled back his arrow once more and let it pierce the target again.

"Keep up this pace and you'll be taking down a full stag in no time! I can't wait for you to hunt for the very first time!"

Gilbert allowed himself to smile for a moment, but then frowned slightly as he turned his eyes back to Ivan. "Was it hard for you to kill your first animal?" he asked.

"It was. It took me a few tries. The hardest part is first learning how to track it. I will have to teach you that as well. For now, once you think you are well enough to try hunting, I will track an animal and you can shoot at it."

"What about...emotionally? Did you hesitate before you shot? Or feel badly afterward?" He looked down at his bow. "I've never killed an animal before."

"No, I never had doubts. But I was born knowing that this was the way of life and I had to accept it."

That worried Gilbert some. "Will you be disappointed in me if I feel bad, or can't do it?"

Ivan chuckled at that and ruffled Gilbert's hair. "No, I won't be disappointed. I can do all the hunting for us, but you should know how to do it in case you are ever lost or alone, on your own, and hungry. But, as your mate," he stood strong and proud, looking up at the sky in a very dramatic manner. "I will provide for you!"

Gilbert pouted a bit. "I want to provide for you too. I can't just do nothing here."

"Maybe I can teach you how to make clothes, baskets, and cook! You can also learn what types of berries, plants and herbs are good to pick."

Gilbert smiled. "Yes, I'd like to learn those things, and... I want to hunt too!" he spoke eagerly.

"You have to be prepared to kill a fuzzy animal." Ivan reminded him.

"I know that, but if I can't even handle that, how am I supposed to live here with you?"

Ivan grinned. "Fair enough. You still need some practice, though. You have yet to shoot at a moving target."

"I know." He turned back to the target, facing away from Ivan. "I want to get better and become a great archer, and make you proud of me."

"You know I'm proud of you already, right?"

"Really? You are?" he asked, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the other.

"Yes. You have come so far since when I first brought you here. Look at how much you're doing already! Shooting arrows with skill. And you weren't afraid to try. That is something to be proud of."

Gilbert smiled brightly. "And I'll only get better, too! I'll make everyone here be envious of my archery skills!"

"Well, you're still not as good as me yet." Ivan boasted, teasingly, before he quickly shot a perfect arrow.

Gilbert gave him a playful pout. "One day I'll be even better than you!" He too took another shot, but it wasn't nearly as perfect as Ivan's. "Well...this is only like, my second day practicing. I'll be better eventually."

Ivan had to show off one more time and shoot his arrow perfectly. "Ah, another perfect shot!"

Gilbert watched Ivan for a moment. He got lost in thought and shook his head, and then attempted to shoot another arrow. This time the arrow completely missed and stuck into the ground. His thoughts were distracting him.

"What happened? Did your hand slip?" Ivan asked him.

Feeling a little embarrassed, Gilbert kept his face turned away from Ivan to hide a small blush on his cheeks. "No, it's nothing," he answered quickly. He shot another arrow. His aim was still off, but he at least hit the target.

"No, something is wrong. What's bothering you?" He sniffed his armpits. "Do I smell?"

"N-No, it's not that..." he mumbled.

"Then what is it?" Ivan was growing concerned. Gilbert wasn't suddenly having second thoughts, was he? "Please tell me."

Letting out a flustered growl, Gilbert turned his eyes to Ivan, "I'm just—just thinking about earlier, okay!?" he spoke loudly, cheeks flushed red.

Ivan stated at him for a moment and then looked away. "I'm sorry I made you angry. I was just worried. I won't ask you about it any more." But he was curious to know what Gilbert was thinking.

"Idiot... I'm not angry..." he grumbled. "It's just embarrassing, thinking about that kind of thing..."

"But it's nothing to be ashamed of, Gilbert! I think about it with you all the time!"

"I'm not ashamed..." Gilbert turned more red. "... You think about it all the time?" he asked, trying not to sound too curious.

"More often than anything else. You are my mate and I love you." He said seriously, looking into Gilbert's pink eyes. "I don't lie to you, Gilbert."

"What sort of things do you think about...?"

"Oh...just things." He wouldn't look at Gilbert so he fussed with the arrow feathers instead.

Gilbert stepped closer to Ivan and tilted his head, looking coyly at him. "Y'know... If you tell me, I might do it..." he spoke quietly. He wanted to not feel so nervous or shy about those types of things.

Is what he heard true? Did Gilbert just say he might do whatever he thought of? Those thoughts were naughty, ones he wanted to see happen. He couldn't help it. He blabbed. "I see you wearing nothing but a fur cloak and then surprising me with your nakedness. I see you making me a big, yummy meal and after I am full you take me to bed. I see you hunting beside me and teasing me in naughty ways. I-" He blushed and wrapped the scarf all around his head to hide his face. "-no more!" His voice was muffled.

Gilbert's cheeks grew a dark crimson as Ivan spoke. For a moment he was stunned, thinking about some of the things Ivan mentioned. "I... might be able to do some of those..." He then began to pick at the grip on his bow with some anticipation. "I could wear only a cloak, sometime...maybe..."

"And...there is one more..." he said from behind his scarf. "You know..." he peeked out. "I think about us mating together."

"I know." Gilbert looked flustered, cheeks seemingly stained red. "I think about it too... Along with what you did earlier. I can't get it out of my head." he confessed, then turned away from Ivan out of embarrassment.

Ivan wrapped his arms around the Elf from behind. "I can put all your questions and curiosity to rest." He whispered in the pointed ear.

Feeling his entire body burn with heat Gilbert let out a soft squeak. He felt aroused by Ivan's words, curious about what the man was offering him. But, he didn't know if he was ready to have sex yet. Though, he didn't know how one knew if they were ready. All he knew was that he wanted to know what it was like to be intimate with another, but not just anyone. Only Ivan would do.

Thinking for a moment before responding, Gilbert finally spoke. "... I want to know what it's like..." he admitted shyly.

"You do? You want to...mate with me? The whole way?"

Gilbert nodded once. "I'm nervous, but I... I want to."

"It's okay to be nervous. But I promise I will be extra tender and gentle with you." Ivan swore to him. "And then, after you get used to it after a few more times," he rubbed his hand along Gilbert's lower belly. "Then I will make you turn into a wild cat!" He said with a purr.

Gilbert whined a soft moan as Ivan's hand went lower. Just thinking about Ivan touching him make him feel hot. Ivan promise to be careful with him eased his mind a little, knowing that he would be as gentle as anyone could be. Gilbert leaned back against Ivan some.

"Are you going to... soon?" he asked. His eagerness shone through his voice, as he couldn't hide his excitement.

"As soon as I can if you allow me." He whispered. "We can do it tonight. I will make it special for you."

Gilbert dropped his bow to the ground. He forced himself to turn around in Ivan's arms, and then buried his face into his neck.

"Make it real special," he demanded softly and coyly.

Ivan smiled and lifted Gilbert in a hug. "I will make it very special! As much as I can! I love you, my Gilbert!" He started to swing him around.

Gilbert laughed, hugging around Ivan's shoulders for support. After a moment he leaned in and kissed Ivan's nose. "I love you too..." He felt a bit shy saying it, but he smiled cutely once he did.

"I'm going to have the prettiest and kindest mate in all the village!"

"And I'll have the strongest and most gentle one." Gilbert smiled. "We'll make everyone else envious."

"Yes. They will pay for always making fun of me. I'm the one who wins now!"

"You have what all of them desire. Me!" Gilbert grinned widely, like he took some pride in that. "You should rub it in their faces, especially the son of the Chief. I bet he'll be livid when he finds out!" He chuckled.

He set Gilbert back down on his feet and looked at him seriously. "I will have to protect you from them. The chief's son will not be pleased and I may have to fight him for you. For the right to mate you."

"Then fight him. If that's how you get the...uh, 'right' to mate me." He looked a bit bothered by the term, like to everyone else he was just a prize. "I declined his gift, and once you mate me he can't touch me, right?"

"Yes, that is the truth. No one will touch you once I have mated you. You're soiled goods after mating so no other will want you but me. And that's okay." He said with a smile.

Gilbert pouted a little. "And you won't think I'm solid goods?" he teased softly.

"Never. You will never lose your appeal with me. I fell in love with you the first moment I met you."

"Really? The first moment?"

He nodded. "When I saw you lying on that bed of silk, like some god or nymph, I knew that I had to have you. I wanted to make you mine right then and there, but I didn't."

Gilbert smiled a little. "I'm glad you didn't. I'm glad you allowed me so much freedom, even though I was captured."

"I couldn't resist your pleading face." He said honestly. "I can't deny you anything, Gilbert. Shame on you! You make me that way!" he lightly gave Gilbert's pert butt a slap.

Gilbert jolted lightly. "Hey!" he whined playfully. "Don't blame me. I bet you were always a softy. You never had any intention of hurting me."

"That's not true!" Ivan tried to defend his man-pride. "I'm not a softy! I'm a big mean wolf!" He howled.

Gilbert grinned at him. "You're more like a cute and cuddly bear cub."

"I'm not a bear cub! I'm the big, BIG bear! Grrrrrr! I'm gonna eat you up!" He nipped at Gilbert's neck.

Gilbert moaned quietly in the back of hiss throat. "Yes, tonight you'll eat me up..." He blushed and gripped his fingers tightly into Ivan's tunic.

"Oh, I will. I will gobble you up and I won't stop until I've eaten all of you." He scooped Gilbert up in his arms. "Let's go back."

When they arrived back at the hut, Ivan placed his precious Elf on the bed and kissed the cheek. "I need to get some things ready, okay? Wait right here! I won't be long, I promise."

Gilbert nodded and lay down on the bed. When Ivan left, he began to think about what they'd be doing soon, and curiously let his hands wander his own body. He began to feel that strange feeling build in his groin as his fingers traced over his lower belly, feeling even more anticipation for what was to come. After a minute or so, Gilbert got an idea. Ivan wanted him to surprise him with his nakedness and tease him. He wasn't sure how to really do that, but he was certain that if he wore only one of Ivan's large fur cloaks, that would work for Ivan. Gilbert also just wanted to fully assure Ivan that he was fine with what they were going to do.

Quickly, Gilbert stripped his clothing off, found one of the large cloaks, and then wrapped it around his naked body. He rested back on the bed in his previous position, lying halfway onto his stomach, but made sure that none of his skin was showing.

Ivan returned with an armful of firewood and a little sack between his teeth. "Back." He said out of the corner of his mouth.

Gilbert sat up a little when he entered. "Welcome back," he greeted. "What's that in your mouth?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

Ivan dropped it to the floor. "Salve. It will help to...make me entering you less painful." He answered with a blush.

"Oh." Gilbert blushed as well. He wasn't sure how to respond other than to look embarrassed, and shifted under his cloak.

"Why are you wearing that cloak?" Ivan asked with a grin as he put the logs in the hearth. "As if I don't know...but I want to hear it. And see it."

Gilbert pouted slightly, but he decided to play along and give Ivan what he wanted. Parting the cloak at the center of his body, he revealed his naked form to Ivan but let the cloak still hang around his shoulders. He had his legs bent slightly, touching at the knee, and his nipples were tightening from the chilly air.

"Is this something like what you had in mind?" he asked coyly.

Ivan's mouth became dry as he looked at some of that naked body that would soon be his. He licked his lips then and said, "Nothing can compare to the real thing." He felt the front of his pants start to tighten.

Gilbert blushed with Ivan's eyes on him. "So, what are you going to do...?" he asked.

"First, I will get the fire going." He took a few moments to get the wood aflame and went to the flap to hammer the pegs down. "Now we are locked in and safe." He turned to Gilbert, looking at him with hungry eyes. "And now...I will explore every inch of your creamy body!" Ivan dashed over and jumped on the bed, watching as Gilbert went up a few inches off the mattress.

Gilbert let out a laugh as he bounced up. He turned onto his side, curling his legs to his chest and smiled at Ivan. After a moment, he extended his legs out, spreading them a little and had his hands resting on his chest to 'hide' his nipples like he was shy about it.

"Explore me," he softly invited Ivan, cheeks flushed a pretty pink.

"You are being shy." Ivan whispered in delight and took Gilbert's wrists to pull them away from the pale chest. He took one nipple into his mouth, sucking lightly.

A little gasp escaped Gilbert's lips, turning into a small whine. He still wasn't entirely used to the feeling of Ivan's lips on him in such a way, so he was indeed a bit shy about it, but that didn't top him from aching his back just slightly, lifting himself an inch from the bed.

"At first I liked the thought of you naked under this cloak, but now that you are, I find that it is in my way! I no longer like it!" He pulled the cloak from Gilbert's body. "Much better!" He grinned.

Gilbert shivered from the slight chill. He turned away out of embarrassment.

"No, don't turn away!" Ivan pulled him back to look at him. "No one will see you like this but me."

He got up and undressed quickly before getting back on the bed with Gilbert. He pulled Gilbert into his lap, making sure the long pale legs were straddling him on either side. With his hands, he gripped Gilbert's rump to hold him close. "Look, you are taller than me now." he teased and nuzzled Gilbert's nose. A groan escaped his throat when his member rubbed against Gilbert's.

Gilbert 's breathing hitched at the touch of their members, light panting becoming heavier and hotter. He gazed down at Ivan with an aroused look in his eyes, blushing bright as he had his arms wrapped around Ivan's broad shoulders. It was almost like he was uncertain of what to do, other than to just watch Ivan and wait for him to continue.

"This is one position that we do, and there are a few others as well." He nipped the long neck and shuddered with desire. "You are making this so hard for me. I want to just mate you now and make you feel good, but I obey your wishes." He smirked against the heated flesh of Gilbert's neck. "You know...I fantasized about beating the chief's son, and winning, and then mating you right then and there...like a wolf claiming its territory."

Gilbert's buried his face into Ivan's neck. How was he suppose to respond to such a lewd comment? Growing up he was sheltered from most perversions, and hearing that Ivan had fantasies of him made him hot with embarrassment but also curiosity of what other things Ivan thought about. It even put some little images in his own mind.

"I'm...I'm not territory..." he retorted out of embarrassment. "Besides, I thought you didn't want anyone else to see me like this..."

"I don't...but that's why it's a fantasy. I see you as a person, Gilbert, but in my world, my clan, you are my mate. You are my property and I am yours."

Gilbert squeezed his arms around Ivan's shoulders tighter. Feeling compelled to show some affection, he gave a slow, soft kiss to Ivan's neck. He liked thinking of Ivan as his. Having such a strong and handsome mate who was also so kind and gentle filled him, strangely, with pride.

"I want you to always be proud to have me as a mate. I want to love and please you." He sighed softly at Gilbert's kiss. "Do that more. Don't' be shy."

After giving a little moan in response, Gilbert kissed Ivan's neck once again. This time he let his tongue seep out and slowly press against the scarred skin, his lips resting on it as well.

He felt tears stinging the back of his eye. Gilbert was loving his scars so tenderly, such ugly things, yet his mate was treating them kindly. It took all of his restraint not to crush Gilbert against him. Instead, he let his hands roam over Gilbert's slim back.

Gilbert smiled against Ivan's neck when the man touched him. "You like it?" he asked.

"When you adore my scars, yes." He let Gilbert see the moisture in his eye. "You treat them tenderly...almost as if they were special. You don't mind them, and that makes me so happy. I wish to give you the moon if I could!"

Gilbert's smile went crooked, though he felt his heart swell upon seeing Ivan's eye. "I don't mind your scars..." he started, tracing one on Ivan's neck. "They're a part of you, and they make you who you are... The ones I find disgusting are the Elves who gave you these scars, and even more-so your kin who mock you for them." His pink eyes snapped up to Ivan's, shining with a fire of hate for those he spoke of. "You deserve better than that."

Ivan was overcome with joy by Gilbert's words.

"If they make you angry, then we don't have to stay here. We can go somewhere else. We can go back to your home...I can be YOUR slave," he smiled "and that's the truth." He hugged him, pressing his ear against Gilbert's heart. "I'd do anything for you, Gilbert."

Gilbert hugged around him. "I fear that if we did, you'd be a slave to more than just me. As you said before, my father rules there, and he would take you from me immediately." He pulled back a little to look at Ivan and rubbed a thumb along his cheekbone. "We'll stay here for now. If anyone says anything hurtful to you, maybe I'll be good enough with a bow by then to shut them up." He grinned slightly.

Ivan laughed softly. "They will all fear you, my mate. Even me." he kissed him.

Gilbert tilted his head into the kiss, pressing his body more against Ivan.

"I want to feel all of you." He said as he laid Gilbert back onto the bed and rest on top of him. "May I continue on?"

Gilbert nodded once. He felt anticipation rise in him again.

"One moment." Ivan swiftly left the bed to bring the little pouch. "It may smell funny, but it will help to ease the pain of when I enter you."

Gilbert looked a bit uneasy. "Will it hurt bad?"

"It's up to your body to decide. Not to brag," he smiled cutely "But I am a little...bigger than most, and you're a string bean...so...it won't hurt that bad." He grinned.

Gilbert squeezed his legs together with a squeak. "But—But that stuff you have will make it not painful, right? There has to be a way to make it painless." He forced a nervous smile.

"The only way to do that, mate, is to keep doing it many times so you body is used to it. But until then, it will sting a little but only at first. And then it feels good. You have to be brave for me, okay?" He kissed right above Gilbert's heart.

"All right... just, make sure to use a lot of that stuff." He pet the back of Ivan's head, blushing softly at the kiss.

"I will use up all of it!" He moved his mouth down to play with Gilbert's nipples more, flicking his tongue on the tips and nipping lightly.

Ivan's sudden touch made Gilbert arch up against him. One of his hands gripped into Ivan's hair, while the other held onto his shoulder.

Ivan started to giggle and he pulled his mouth away to look up at Gilbert. "I just realized something. These are now my favorite little berries!" He chuckled again as he rolled the nipple between his thumb and forefinger. If Gilbert hit him on the head, he wouldn't blame him.

Gilbert let out a little growl as his cheeks turned a brighter pink, but with Ivan rubbing and rolling his nipple, he couldn't be annoyed at all. He simply grumbled out an embarrassed, "Be quiet..." and covered his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Gilbie Berries." He couldn't help but say it. To keep Gilbert from getting angry, he quickly let his mouth dart to the other nipple to roll the bud between his teeth.

Gilbert mewled quietly, not able to stop his body from writhing under Ivan's. The light touches were arousing him, and strangely enough, so was Ivan's teasing.

Finally pulling away from the chest, he slowly at up on his knees to untie the tiny pouch. "Remember, it smells funny, but it will help." He neglected to tell Gilbert about the 'other' salve he had for 'after' their mating in fear of Gilbert backing out. Ivan saw it as a way to not scare Gilbert while mating, and then just deal with the aftermath as it comes.

Gilbert nodded in response, not minding the smell as long as the salve did its job. "So, um... how are we going to, uh...?" He blushed out of embarrassment. He wasn't sure how they would apply the salve, and thinking of the ways they could made him embarrassed.

"Well, I put the salve on three fingers and then I slip them in one by one to get you stretched. I will pace it. Your body wok get used to it I progress promise."

"Okay..." He still looked a bit nervous. Pushing passed his nerves, he parted his legs a little to allow Ivan between them.

Ivan let Gilbert watch him as he dipped his fingers into the salve, coating his fingers in a clear liquid.

The sight made Gilbert's cheeks warm but he didn't look away.

"I'm going to put one finger in first. Are you ready?"

Gilbert nodded in response. He tilted his head to look down, embarrassingly curious about watching Ivan do it.

Ivan felt his heart would beat out of his chest. He was getting closer to finally mating with Gilbert! He knew Gilbert was watching him, so he made sure to keep watch of Gilbert's reactions once he pressed the first finger inside. He pressed only the palm of his finger against the pink ring, applying light pressure.

Gilbert cringed a bit at the light touch. Ivan's finger and the salve were a little cold, and it made him tense just slightly. It felt strange, as he wasn't used to things touching that specific area, and the feeling made him blush a little. Part of him couldn't believe that he was about to have sex, and as much as he was nervous, deep down, he felt extremely anxious and excited.

With a gentle push, Ivan slipped his middle finger inside the tight heat. He waited for Gilbert's reaction.

Gilbert winced at the intrusion, giving a short and quiet whimper. After a second or two of soft pants, he gave a small smile to Ivan.

"See? It's not so bad, right?"

Gilbert blushed. "It—It's not...bad..." he stuttered. Something about Ivan speaking to him while he had his finger in him made his cheeks flush even darker.

With those words, Ivan took a chance and pressed in a second finger, feeling the muscles clench around him.

The second finger made Gilbert gasp a bit louder. There was a small twinge of pain that brought his eyebrows together, but it was still bearable. He rested his head back against the bed, closing his eyes.

Ivan brought their lips into a kiss as he started to spread his fingers just slightly and move them in and out, to give Gilbert's tightening muscles used to the feel of something moving in and out.

Any pain Gilbert felt quickly faded into some pleasure. His little whimpers turned to quiet grunts and moans as Ivan kissed him and worked his fingers. His muscles loosened more for Ivan as Gilbert relaxed his body more.

He was pleased and relieved with how well Gilbert was responding to him. Before adding the third, he waited to make sure he had felt the muscles loosen around him. The pain would start to come a little harder now, and to distract Gilbert while he pressed the third finger inside he slipped his tongue deep in the Elf's mouth.

Gilbert gripped Ivan's arms, letting out an uncertain cry into his mouth at the sting of pain. Ivan's tongue helped distract him some, feeling his mind become a bit hazed with what he was feeling. The fingers still hurt, but he tried not to let it show.

The clenching around his fingers told him that Gilbert was hurting. He would have to keep this stretching up a bit longer for Gilbert's comfort, even though it pained his groin to do so.

As Ivan continued stretching him, Gilbert wrapped his arms tight around the other's shoulders. After a while of the preparation, Gilbert's body once again became looser for Ivan's fingers and the pain slowly dulled.

"Gilbert...my mate...do you think you're ready to take me now?"

"I don't know..." Gilbert replied honestly. "You're bigger than your fingers... so, maybe if you use the rest of that stuff, I can..." he suggested.

"Okay." He removed his fingers and rubbed the rest of the salve on his throbbing member. He couldn't wait to be fully inside of Gilbert, to claim him completely in body and soul. They would be 'one'. But he had a better idea, something he didn't want to do at first but now thought better of it, and it would all be for Gilbert's comfort. "Get on your hands and knees for me, Gilbie."

Gilbert's eyes widened a little. He knew what Ivan was asking him, but he didn't really like the idea. Slowly he moved onto his knees and then lifted his weight with his hands. He glanced over his shoulder, face red and looking to Ivan to see what he would do next.

"This will make my entering easier. It will go in straight rather than curved...and you'll understand what I mean soon." He pressed the tip against the prepared entrance.

Gilbert nodded and turned his head back around. He gave a little jolt at the touch, but breathed as evenly as he could and prepared himself for the insertion.

'Remain in control, for his sake.' Ivan repeated to himself. He gently held Gilbert's hips and began to arch his way forward, pressing the head in first and pausing.

Gilbert gripped the furs with his fingers. The head wasn't much worse than Ivan's fingers, but he knew it'd get worse once he entered more. He forced himself to be calm and not tense as much. Not only would it cause himself more pain, but he wanted Ivan to enjoy this and be the best mate Ivan ever had.

"How are you feeling?" Ivan asked with a breath.

"I'm fine," he spoke with a little shake in his voice. "Just...go slow." He knew it must be hard for Ivan to keep himself from taking him fully.

Ivan pushed in a bit more. He was relieved that Gilbert was taking the act so well. He pushed in even further, stopping half way.

It was then that Gilbert grit his teeth and grunted, though he tried not to let Ivan hear. He was stretching too much and already felt as if he'd burst.

"Just a little bit more." Ivan pushed in further and further until he couldn't take it any more and pushed the rest of the way in, settling into that deep, tight heat.

Gilbert whimpered as his body shuddered. He couldn't process how deep Ivan was. Trying to keep from whimpering too much, Gilbert stayed still, waiting for his body to hopefully adjust to Ivan's size.

"You need to breathe, mate." Ivan panted out. "Gilbie, you have to relax."

Gilbert grunted in response, but then began to breathe and let himself relax. His body loosened a bit, but the feeling was still uncomfortable.

"I'm going to move a bit." He knew that Gilbert had to get used to him so he gently began to push forward, pulling out a teeny bit first.

Keeping his eyes clenched, and his hands just as tight in the fur, Gilbert waited for the pain to fade, or for himself to become accustomed to it. He didn't know what to do except to just let Ivan continue. Ivan had more experience than him in this area, so he was sure that he'd take care of him. Gilbert was just grateful that Ivan was being so gentle, it must be hard for him to resist.

"How do you...feel now?"

"Better... it still...hurts a little, though," Gilbert mumbled though soft pants. He took a few deep breaths.

"Can I start to move faster now?" Ivan all but begged.

Gilbert hesitated. "Okay," he gave approval with a small nod, hoping that the pain would fade quickly.

Ivan pulled out further, waiting a moment, and quickly pushed back in. With a few more deep thrusts like this he should be able to find the sweet spot.

Gilbert let out a distressed gasp with the first thrust, feeling his body shake and pain wrack through his backside. He bit his lip to keep from making any noise as Ivan continued, but soon he felt something like a spark light his body, and his gasp was different from before. Ivan pulled out and aimed for that spot again, thrusting in a bit harder this time. Gilbert's entire body clenched, tightening himself almost painfully around Ivan. He panted out heavily. The pain he felt before was fading into some else. It was different, yet sort of familiar too. He wanted Ivan to keep doing it.

Ivan took Gilbert's pants as a good sign and pulling out almost all the way he slowly pressed back inside the tight heat. Now would begin the steady rhythm. He kept his thrusts slow at first, gradually speeding up until he had Gilbert's whole form bouncing against him.

It felt so good. Gilbert couldn't help himself from grunting and moaning with each thrust. He lowered his head and upper body to the furs, letting his forehead press into the softness and gripped it tight with his fingers. Without knowing he was doing it, he began to lightly push back against Ivan whenever he thrust. Quietly, he moaned Ivan's name in a heated breath.

As Ivan picked up his pace, Gilbert's voice came out more frequently. A mix of grunts and pants, and Ivan's name being half-spoken in a needy moan that broke into a grunt, as if he couldn't even finish speaking. He felt embarrassed, but that didn't stop his voice from getting louder and more desperate sounding.

Gilbert's body was beautifully responsive. Ivan was tired of looking at the pale back and wanted to see Gilbert's face, so he pulled out and flipped the man over. Covering Gilbert's body with his own, he kept his gaze on the flushed face as he thrust back in, settling himself to the brink. He forced Gilbert's hips to bend up and back to make movements more comfortable.

Gilbert was surprised when Ivan suddenly left him, but he was pleased that Ivan turned him over. He didn't really like being taken from behind, although it felt good, and would rather be able to hold and touch Ivan as well. And he did just that. Pale arms layered with a thin coat of sweat wrapped loosely around Ivan's shoulders. Each thrust made his fingers spasm and his nails poked into Ivan's skin. It was embarrassing to have Ivan watching him, but he was making him feel so good that he didn't have any desire to hide. Gilbert's mouth was open, a sting of moans and gasps, often for breath, slipping passed the moist pink lips.

Ivan had to kiss those panting lips, thrusting his tongue in deep along with the movements of his cock. To finally have Gilbert like this threatened to make him cum early, but with Gilbert being so responsive, he could not let it end quickly. Gilbert's body was swallowing him up, and he fit just right inside of the Elf, as if this body was shaped and constructed just for him. He moved his lips away to bite at Gilbert's shoulder, biting with more force this time to leave a very noticeable mark.

Gilbert grunted loudly into the kiss, letting his tongue be dominated by Ivan's and loving every second of it. He was almost disappointed when Ivan stopped kissing him, but when he felt Ivan's teeth dig into his flesh, he yelped out of slight pain. It didn't bother him, though, and he only tightening his arms and muscles around Ivan tighter. Throwing his head back, he moaned loudly as Ivan continued to move and hit that spot inside of him. Everything felt fantastic, he almost couldn't believe that so much pleasure was possible.

Changing their positions again, Ivan pulled them up so Gilbert was sitting in his lap still impaled on him. He didn't move, but instead held Gilbert close just feeling his warmth both inside and out. "Try riding me, my mate." Ivan whispered to him. "Lower yourself up and down on me...please."

Ivan's request made Gilbert's entire face turn dark red. Still, he couldn't deny Ivan when he was practically begging him like that. Gripping onto the other's shoulder tighter, Gilbert slowly lifted himself, feeling Ivan slip all but completely out of him. He let out a moan at the feeling; it felt different to be in control. He pushed back down and his head tilted back. Gilbert repeated the movement slowly.

"Faster Gilbert...please." Ivan begged with heavy pants, moving his hands to grip at Gilbert's rump. "I need you, mate."

Gilbert gasped. Ivan's begging had him feeling even more aroused, and he couldn't deny that he also wanted to move faster. Something about the way Ivan spoke made him feel extremely loved and needed. He picked up his pace, beginning to bounce a bit faster, but the motion was straining his legs too much. Instead, he seated himself completely and began to rock his hips back and forth, quickly making Ivan slip in and out without having to lift his body too much.

"Beautiful." Ivan breathed against the pale, sweaty skin as his own body was filled with delicious hot pleasure. While this position was pleasing, he did not want Gilbert's first mating to end like this. He pushed them down onto the bed so he was once again covering Gilbert's body. Now was his chance to take his pleasure with Gilbert while his lover was stretched, aroused, and ready to cum. Holding Gilbert's shoulders down, his thrusts began rough and sharp, aiming to strike the sweet spot.

Gilbert threw his head back, crying out almost wildly in pleasure. It just felt so good, he couldn't help but let Ivan hear how he made him feel. The pleasure was building into a tight pressure in his lower belly, his moans turned to hasty, short whimpers, and he spoke Ivan's name as if he was uncertain. He knew he was getting ready to orgasm.

"You can come." He whispered in Gilbert's ear. "Finish just for me." He moved faster.

Gilbert bit his lip, dug his nails into the flesh of Ivan's shoulders, and then buried his face into Ivan's neck. He shuddered with a moan as he reached orgasm, and then went limp against Ivan's body, panting heavily.

This was the moment he had been waiting for. Now he would mark and claim Gilbert as his and his alone. His lover and mate. With two more thrusts he let out an almost animal-like roar and exploded inside Gilbert's trembling body. He felt his get swallowed up by Gilbert's body and whatever was left pool out around him to coat the white thighs and mark the bed. He panted heavily as he came down from his high, looking at Gilbert's equally flushed face.

"I love you, my Gilbie."

Gilbert was too exhausted to reply with words, so he offered a soft grunt. He felt the warm liquid trickling out of him, and that embarrassed him, but like before, he was too tired to care. His skin felt tingly and sweaty, but he felt good.

"Say something, my sweet." he nuzzled Gilbert's neck. "Did I hurt you?"

Gilbert waited a few seconds to fully catch his breath. "Only at first..." He pressed his face to Ivan's neck and gave a slow kiss to the skin. "After that it was wonderful."

"Then I have pleased you?" he held Gilbert's flushed body close to his.

"Was that not obvious?" he asked, pulling back and raising an eyebrow. He was a little amused that Ivan had to ask.

Ivan chuckled. "I just want to hear it."

Gilbert smiled tiredly. "You pleased me. A lot." He blushed. "Though you did tell me that you were good at it, but I didn't think it'd be that good..."

"Now you are mine, and I am yours." He gave him a passionate kiss. "My Elf, my Gilbie."

Gilbert nuzzled his head against him. "I love you," he mumbled, wrapping his arms around Ivan tightly and clinging to him.

"I love you too."

**End Chapter 7 TBC**


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